


Captivated

by leftennant



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tasertricks - Fandom, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Romance, Slow Burn, Smuff, Smut, Trapped in Asgard, tasertricks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-02-15 22:26:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 166,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2245620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leftennant/pseuds/leftennant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a failed experiment accidentally drops Darcy Lewis into the middle of Asgard, she finds herself an unwilling guest of the God of Mischief.  However, as the two of them are forced to spend time together in each other's company, she begins to wonder if being his prisoner may not be so bad after all.  (Of course that might just be her ladyparts talking)</p><p>Set prior to the first Thor movie, and will diverge from canon because I'm a total rebel like that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Enter Tasers

**Author's Note:**

> So... I kept having this little bunny swirling around in my head where I wondered what would have happened if Darcy had arrived in Asgard before the events of the first Thor movie. If Mischief had met Tasers prior to the debacle at Thor's coronation, would things have been different? I had to explore it. Besides, it means I get to write more Loki/Darcy sexytimes. Woo!!!!
> 
> If you read my other story, Add It Up, you know how I do things. There is going to be a lot of fluff. And a lot of smut. And since I write daily, you can totally prompt me in the reviews and I'll put stuff in the story. Alrighty then... Let's get this show on the road. :D
> 
> Two years running! YAY! 
> 
>  
> 
> **********************************************************

Darcy Lewis was having a distinctly weird morning. It hadn’t started out that way. No. It had all been completely normal and ordinary a mere hour earlier. She’d gotten up, showered, picked up a coffee and donut on her way into work, and that is pretty much where ‘normal’ turned into ‘Holy shit, what the hell just happened?’.

Her boss, Jane Foster, had been working on this Einstein-Rosen Bridge thingy. Theoretically, it was some sort of wormhole that could connect two dimensions. Darcy didn’t really deal in theoretically. She dealt in snark, entering data, and earning her final three credits for her poli-sci major, which being Jane’s intern was helping her to achieve. 

So when her Boss-Lady went on and on about the physics of this, and scientific properties of that, Darcy usually tuned her out. In retrospect that might have been the smartest thing to do. Especially when Jane’s equipment had a high rate of failure and unexpected results.

Today had turned out to be an unexpected results kind of day. And really, it was quickly becoming Darcy’s least favorite unexpected result ever. 

She’d just walked into the lab, cup of coffee in one hand and the bag with her donut tucked under her arm, when she heard a lot of very frantic shouting. It had taken her a second to pull her iPod earbuds out so she could understand what Jane was saying. By that time it was already too late. There was an extremely bright explosion of rainbowy lights followed by a scary whooshing through the air sort of feeling. The next thing Darcy knew, she was laying flat on her back, trying very hard not to throw up.

She failed miserably at that endeavor. At least she hadn’t eaten the donut yet. Not that dry heaves were high on her list of stuff she enjoyed doing, but they were better that than losing her breakfast. She rolled over onto her back again, and tried to lay as still as possible in an effort to not anger the rampaging elephants that had taken up residence in her skull.

“Jaaaaaane,” she yelled, eyes scrunched tightly closed as she fought another wave of nausea, “I think your bridge thing misfired again. Could you maybe help me up? I kind of want to die.”

There was no answer from Jane or anyone else. 

“Erik? Anyone? Seriously you guys, this isn't cool.” Darcy cracked her eyes open a sliver and immediately shut them in disbelief. She counted to ten and opened them again. The impossible landscape surrounding her was still there. Well, fuck.

It looked like a forest. Only it couldn't be a forest, because there weren’t any forests in that part of New Mexico, and Darcy positively refused to believe she was no longer in New Mexico. Maybe she was dreaming. Although, if her dreams were going to start involving her vomiting into a pile of dead leaves, she was going to start asking for refunds afterwards.

She lay on the ground for a few more minutes, just staring up at the glimpses of sky between the branches swaying overhead, and trying to get her equilibrium back. Her head had finally stopped spinning, when she heard what sounded like a scarily large something moving around nearby. She cautiously sat up, peered around the small copse of ferns into the clearing directly behind her, and immediately wished she hadn’t.

Standing not fifteen feet from her, was the very large something that she’d heard. It was totally worse than she’d expected. Darcy decided she _had_ to be dreaming. Simply because this particular animal did not exist in any form of reality as she knew it.

It had antlers, and scales, and several more legs than seemed strictly necessary. And the smell… She had no words. In fact, she doubted the words had even been invented. Mostly because she was pretty sure she was the only person to have ever smelled it before, and she wasn’t a language major.

What the hell was her brain actually thinking, conjuring up an animal like this? Being unconscious seriously sucked. She watched in horror as the thing began heading her way, making these wet, snuffly noises. Dream or not, Darcy needed to get the hell out of there.

Trying to remain undetected, she stealthily got to her feet. So far so good. Scalylegs MacAntlerface hadn’t noticed her get up. She quietly crept along the edge of the clearing, trying to keep as far into the brush as she could. Everything probably would have worked out just fine, had she not stepped on a tiny, insignificant twig just as she reached the gap in the trees.

The minute she heard the sharp snap under her foot, Darcy knew she was toast. The creature went dead silent, and then she could hear it sniffing the air. She froze, hoping against hope that it wouldn’t realize she was there. Just as she was starting to relax, she heard a furious bellow and it came charging right for her. 

“Shit!” she shrieked and ran for the gap in the trees, her hoodie catching on the small, spiny branches as she sprinted by. The creature followed, making horrible slavering noises and crashing madly through the undergrowth. 

Just in front of her, she could see what looked like a long wall of green with a tall, skinny opening in the side. She dove for the opening, hoping she could hide behind it. Instead of an open space, she found herself inside a corridor made of shrubbery. 

Out of options, she darted down the long tunnel, looking for another way out. The hallway of shrubbery ended in a sharp corner, and as she wheeled crazily around it, she realized with a sinking heart that she was in some sort of labyrinth.

“Are you fucking kidding me!” she yelled to no one in particular, taking another tight corner and racing down a long, leafy corridor. “What sort of psycho leaves a maze lying around in the middle of the woods?”

She’d come to a t-intersection and stood there frantically trying to decide which way to go. The creature sounded like it was off to her right, but with the way the maze was winding around, it was really hard to keep her bearings. 

After a few more seconds of debate, Darcy flew down the left-hand pathway only to be brought up short by a dead end. Fanfuckingtastic. Now she had to double back, and try to find another way around the deadly whatever it was.

Snorting. Pawing. Loud, horrible bellowing. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around. The thing was standing about six yards away, drooling from its massive, tooth-infested mouth. Darcy took stock of her weapons. Donut. Check. Tiny bottle of mace on her keychain. Check. Taser...fuck. Where was her taser? Had it fallen out of her bag?

She rifled frantically through the cluttered expanse of her messenger bag, but no reassuring cool plastic met her fingers. In an effort to spare her life by distracting it, she tossed the donut in the direction of the monster. The sugary glazed pastry bounced harmlessly off its immense forehead and tumbled to the ground. 

All she succeeded in doing was pissing it off further. Perfect. She was going to die. Jane was _so_ never getting forgiven for this.

Then Darcy remembered something she’d once seen on Animal Planet. When confronted with a growling dog, you could sometimes diffuse the situation by remaining calm and speaking to it in a firm, even tone. This was definitely not a dog, but at this point, what did she have to lose? Darcy squared her shoulders and addressed her adversary.

“Um, hi.” She gave the thing a small wave. It made a terrifying grunting sound in response and she took an involuntary step backwards. _Think positive, woman...positive,_ she coached herself. _Don’t let it smell your fear. Oh God, can it smell fear? What does fear smell like anyway? Fuck! Focus!_ “I think we really got off on the wrong foot here. Or you know, in your case, all six of them.” 

The creature gnashed its teeth. Darcy didn’t really take that as a good sign, but soldiered on.

“So, it seems like maybe you're having some sort of anger management slash hunger issues, and I get that. Really I do, but I don’t want to die right now. Also, just so you know, that thing at your feet is a delicious donut. I’d seriously appreciate it if you ate that instead of me, and I apologize in advance for it not being bavarian cream. They were all out.”

Several large splashes of drool hit the ground and Darcy could hear a hissing sound like the saliva was made of acid. Her day just kept getting better and better. She was absolutely resigning as Jane’s intern if she survived this.

“Anyway, it was super nice meeting you and all, but I’ve got to go. Maybe we could do lunch sometime.” She stopped, realizing what she had just said. “Or, not lunch. Coffee. Coffee’s neutral, right? Anyway, like the saying goes, don’t call me, I’ll call you…”

The whole time she’d been talking, she was furtively checking for any type of opening in the thorny hedges closest to her. All she succeeded in doing was getting a deep slice down the middle of her palm.

“Ow! Shit!,” she exclaimed and jerked her arm back, watching the blood well up from the cut and drip down her wrist in horror. 

Everything seemed to switch over to slow motion as the droplet of blood spilled through the air and landed with a tiny plop on the grass at her feet. She stared at the spot of red on the ground and then dragged her eyes back up to the ravening animal in front of her. 

The moment it caught the scent of her blood, its nostrils flared and it let out an earsplitting roar. Within seconds it was bearing down her and she had absolutely nowhere to run. 

“Duck!” she heard a commanding voice yell at her. 

Not waiting to see who it was, Darcy dropped into a crouch, covering her head with her hands. There was a blinding green flash followed by loud roars and squeals, and a whole buttload of pain.

The next thing Darcy knew, she was staring at the ceiling of an unfamiliar room, and her head hurt like hell. In fact, most of her hurt like hell. She tried to sit up, and immediately moaned as a wave of dizziness and nausea rolled over her. 

“You may not wish to do that,” the voice from before said, and Darcy turned her head towards the sound.

A face swam into view above her, and she blinked, trying to clear her vision enough to make it out. As her brain finally processed the person she was looking at, Darcy said in a slurred voice, “Oh fuck me. I’ve fallen into a renaissance fair.”

An amused smirk appeared on the face of the man gazing down at her. “I don’t believe you are in any condition for that at the moment.” He gave her a slow perusal from head to toe, smirk gaining ground as he paused over her breasts. “Although, I may take it into consideration later when you are healed.”

“Awesome,” she replied, and then passed out cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, you guys!!!! Look at this awesome fan art!!!!
> 
>   
> 
> 
> [Crazynoona/Soothsayerstale](http://soothsayerstale.tumblr.com/) made it for me. Isn't it amaaaaazing? She is the best. The best you guys. If you aren't following her here and on tumblr, you need to go do that right now. :D 


	2. First taste of Mischief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy wakes up and meets her rescuer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!!!! Here's your daily chapter. :D Can I just say how excited I am to see all my Add It Up buddies over here? *Waves happily* And all the new people!!! Hi, new people!!!! 
> 
> So, Darcy has woken up, and now Loki has to deal with Midgard's snarkiest poli-sci major. I almost feel sorry for him. ;D
> 
> ***************************************************

The second time Darcy woke up, the sun was shining brightly. She blinked hazily, and brought her hand up to shield her sensitive eyes from the brilliant light spilling into the room. Her head still felt like someone had been repeatedly stabbing dull blades into it, and her mouth was completely parched.

She heard a rustling sound coming from somewhere nearby and cautiously turned her head towards the sound, trying desperately not to exacerbate the pain. The room tilted sharply for a nauseating moment, and then she located the source of the rustling. The guy from the night before was sitting in a chair facing her a few feet away. He was currently holding a book in one long-fingered hand, while making notes with looked like a quill pen in the other. 

Darcy sucked in a painful breath. Her entire body felt as if it had been run over by a bus. Twice. She also had the distinct impression of running, and hiding, and some sort of scary fucking animal that her head was refusing to provide a description of at the moment. What she did remember was that Jane’s stupid experiment had landed Darcy in a whole shitload of trouble. 

She squinted at the guy in the chair, vaguely wondering if he were a homicidal maniac. He was really pretty in a goth sort of way, with fair skin and sleek ebony-colored hair that ended just below his jawline. His clothes certainly screamed crazy person. They were all black leather, and there were pieces of metal armor-looking things fastened onto them. 

Darcy wanted desperately to ask him for a drink, but wasn't sure if she wanted to alert him to the fact that she was awake until she'd formulated an escape plan. Of course, escaping would require actually getting up. Getting up seemed like a lot of work. Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t know she was in the room, right? He’d obviously brought her there. Whatever. She'd sell her own grandma out for a refreshing beverage at this point.

“What’s a girl gotta do for a cup of water around here?” she croaked, wincing as the vibration cut across her sore throat. 

“Ah. You are awake.” Enigmatic green eyes fixed on her, and he set his book on the table with the pen. “Is your head feeling any better?”

Darcy closed her eyes as she fought back another wave of nausea. “Does it look like it’s feeling any better?” she grumbled. “I don’t suppose you’ve got some Advil lying around anywhere, do you?”

“I have no idea what that is, but I can offer you something to dull the pain.” He leaned over her, uncapping a pint-size bottle, and holding it suspended above her mouth. She eyed it suspiciously, lips clamped shut tight.

“Come now,” he coaxed. “Had I wished to poison you, I would have already done so.”

She considered his logic. It made sense. Not that she actually trusted him or anything. There was something about him that just screamed trouble. God, her head hurt, though. Besides, he hadn't killed her yet. That had to be a mark in his favor.

Grudgingly, Darcy opened her mouth just enough for him to drip a tiny amount of the liquid inside. Then she gagged. 

“Ugh, what the fuck, dude? My tongue is never going to forgive you,” she whined

He rolled his eyes. “Are you always so dramatic?” 

“Do you always rescue random girls and then poison them?” Darcy spat back.

“I told you, it is not poison. You will thank me for it in a moment.” He reached towards her face, goblet appearing like magic in his hand. “I trust your tongue will be more receptive to this.”

Darcy stared. “Did you just _make_ a cup? Like, out of thin air? Am I in Vegas? Will there be a tiger act next? Oh my God, no wonder you’re dressed like that. Are you in Cirque Du Soleil?”

Her host appeared to be completely baffled by her questions. “Is Vegas in Midgard?”

“What’s Midgard?” she asked, still trying to work out how the hell he made a cup out of nothing.

“Are you not Midgardian?” His brow furrowed. “True, I have not been there in quite some time, but I think I would still recognize a Midgardian.”

“Um, no. I’m from New Mexico,” she told him. “Where’s Midgard? Canada?”

“No. Midgard is one of the nine realms,” he explained. “You are currently on Asgard.”

Now Darcy was the one who was baffled. “I don’t know what Asgard is, but you sound British. Holy crap! Did Jane’s bridge thing send me all the way to Great Britain?”

A light of recognition dawned in his eyes at the mention of Great Britain. “Great Britain is in Midgard. I just told you we are in Asgard.”

She could not believe the weird circles this conversation was going around in. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him and then said, “Who’s on first?”

He blinked. “The first of what?”

“First base. You know, baseball? Abbott and Costello? Nevermind. Just...nevermind. I’ll have my magical water now, thanks.” 

Without saying a word, he held the cup out for Darcy to take a drink. She sipped at it slowly, allowing him to feed her the water as if she was a helpless toddler. 

“I’m Darcy, by the way,” she said, deciding that him knowing her name couldn’t really make the situation worse. 

There was no reply to her statement. 

“You know, generally when someone tells you their name, it means they want to know yours,” she pointed out.

He fixed his gaze on her, and tilted the cup so she could take another sip. “I am Loki.”

“What, like the Viking god?” she asked. 

His green eyes widened. “You have heard of me?”

“Um, no. I’ve heard of the mythological God of Mischief. Is that who you’re supposed to be?” She gestured at his medieval Europe meets Tim Burton attire. “Because shouldn’t you have, like, a round wooden shield and a big sword or something?”

His lips turned up in amusement. “I prefer daggers and magic. They are much more efficient at dispatching an enemy.”

Darcy couldn't think of an appropriate reply to _that_ response, so she let it go. “How long was I out?” 

“Nearly sixteen hours,” he replied, seemingly unperturbed about her abrupt subject change. 

“Sixteen hours??? Shit. Jane is probably freaking out right about now.” Darcy lifted a hand to rub it over her face and stopped with it held a few inches above her nose. Her palm was badly scratched, and smudges of blood and dirt were everywhere. “What happened exactly? My memories are pretty fuzzy.” 

He set the cup down before answering. “It is very simple. You were unlucky enough to stumble upon a bilgesnipe, one of Asgard’s less cordial beasts. For reasons I do not understand, you engaged the creature in conversation. I stopped it from extinguishing your life, and brought you here so I could use magic to encourage your body to heal. I believe gratitude for this fact would be the customary response.”

Darcy remained silent though his explanation. She couldn’t decide if she was still dreaming, or if he actually _believed_ that he had the ability to use magic, or if he was telling the truth. If he was lying, he totally bought into his own story, and then there was that whole thing with the mystery cup. She still had no idea how he did that.

One thing was very clear though. He’d apparently saved her life, and she hadn’t thanked him for it. He might be a delusional psycho, but Karen Lewis had raised her daughter to have better manners than that.

“Thanks for saving me, Loki. I really appreciate it.”

He stood looking down at her curiously for a moment, as if she’d done something highly unusual. “You are quite welcome, Darcy. Now hold still, I wish you examine you. You suffered severe injuries in the attack.” 

He bent over her, lifting his hands to hover about an inch above her chest. 

Darcy immediately grabbed his wrists, stopping him. “I’m sorry, but what do you think you’re doing?”

“I just told you,” he replied, pulling his hands out of her grip. “I am determining if you are healing.”

She folded her arms over her breasts. “By copping a feel?”

Loki sighed. “I think you will find that I am not actually touching you, Darcy.”

It was true. He hadn’t actually touched her. Not that what he was doing was any less weird. Did he really think he could find out if she was getting better by waving his hands over her? Whatever. Humoring the possibly crazy person seemed like her only option.

“Fine. Do the thing. Just know that if you touch me, I will totally kick your ass.”

“As I am no match for one injured, mortal maiden, you have my word,” he replied dryly.

“Whatever Shakespeare,” Darcy retorted, glaring at him. “I’m tougher than I look.”

“You certainly impressed the bilgesnipe,” Loki said with a snort. 

“I had it all under control,” she asserted. “You just happened to arrive before I unleashed the true fury of Darcy Lewis.”

For a moment he just stared at her. Then he started laughing, eyes crinkling up in a way that made her think that if they’d met under normal circumstances, and he wasn’t dressed like an extra from a period drama, that she would totally be trying to get in his pants. Apparently a nice smile was all it took for her to overlook possibly being kidnapped by a nutcase. How sad was that? 

Loki returned his hands to their former position, palms down a few inches above her chest. “Try not to move,” he requested, and began to sweep them slowly over her frame. 

She lay there quietly, just watching him work his medical mojo. Despite her doubts, she could feel a strange sort of energy passing between her body and the palms of his hands. In fact, the whole thing was getting weirdly erotic. She began to wish he was actually touching her, and not just waving his hands over her tingling skin.

Darcy filed those thoughts in the Do Not Open, EVER drawer inside her mind, and fixed her attention on blowing a stray strand of hair off her forehead while she waited.

“Well?” she asked as he finished and pulled his hands away. 

“You are mending. Not as quickly as I had hoped, but the internal injuries are nearly healed. Regardless, more rest is required.” He laid a cool hand on her forehead and she felt a sense of heaviness and lethargy drift over her. 

“Don’t wanna sleep,” Darcy mumbled. “Gotta get home.”

She managed to make out his smirk through the growing blurriness in her vision. “I fear you have no choice in the matter. Rest, Darcy. I shall decide what to do with you in the morning.”

Her first instinct was to ask him what he meant by that, but she was already too far under for speech. The room faded to grey and disappeared completely as her eyes finally slid shut.


	3. Mischief makes a plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki decides what to do with his saucy Midgardian problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short, but it's all Loki. Surely that counts for something. ;D
> 
> ***********************************************

Loki returned his chair and sat down, fingers templed contemplatively against his lips. What in the Nine Realms was he going to do with her? He couldn’t take her to the healers at the palace. The moment his father got wind of a stray Midgardian loose in Asgard, she’d be subjected to a barrage of unpleasant questioning. 

The Allfather was many things, but merciful was not one of them. At best, Darcy would have her memory wiped and be returned to Midgard. At worst, she would end up imprisoned. For reasons he couldn’t quite define, Loki was loathe to see her subjected to either fate. 

No, it would be better to heal her himself, and then find a way to return her to Midgard without alerting either his father or Heimdall. He could do it, but it would take time. Fortunately, when you are the second son in the ruling family of Asgard, time is a luxury you can well afford.

He glanced at the small mortal currently occupying the bed. She had very nearly been killed. Not only that, but her injuries were somewhat his fault. He’d been so absorbed in her foolhardy escape attempt, that he waited too long to dispatch the bilgesnipe, and his magic had actually caused it to go slamming into her as she crouched defenseless on the ground.

By the time he had killed the dangerous animal, Darcy was hardly breathing. The closest available shelter was his family’s hunting lodge, so that was where Loki had taken her. He had never ridden so quickly in his life. Healing her had practically drained his magic, and despite all his best efforts, her fragile mortal body was knitting more slowly than he would have preferred. Loki wasn’t sure if that was a result of her rather dire head injury, or if this was just the case with Midgardians in general. 

Darcy shifted and moaned slightly in her sleep, her eyes screwed up tightly in pain. He imagined she must be in agony if it were piercing through the coma-like enchantment he’d placed upon her. 

Frowning, he picked up the small vial of brownish liquid, and walked over to where she lay. Then he gingerly slipped his arm under her neck, and used it to tip her head back slightly. Her lips parted as she gasped in discomfort, and Loki carefully spilled a few drops of the liquid into her mouth. Darcy’s face contorted from the taste of the bitter painkiller, but he could see her swallowing it down.

“Good girl,” he said, and carefully placed the stopper back in the vial before setting it on a nearby table. 

Within moments, her restless movements had stopped and she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He nodded in satisfaction, and then stood gazing down at his patient.

Aside from her injuries, Darcy was completely filthy, clothes torn and stained, and body covered in blood and debris from being trampled. The scent of the beast was still all over her as well. Loki wrinkled his nose in distaste, making mental note to offer her a bath the next time she awakened.

He chuckled as he remembered the encounter with the bilgesnipe. The way she had faced down the monster was breathtaking in its sheer bravado. He had truly never seen anything like it. She actually seemed to believe she would be able to talk it out of attacking. The girl was brave to the point of idiocy. Regardless, he found her boldness fascinating. 

There were no women in the court of Asgard like her. Well...unless one counted Sif. Loki made a face. He rarely counted the Lady Sif if he could help it. She was like an antagonistic younger sister with the tongue of an adder. And then there was her poorly concealed interest in his brother. The only one who seemed truly oblivious to her affection was Thor himself. Loki loved his sibling dearly, but sometimes the man could be appallingly thick. 

Even Sif would not have thrown a pastry at a bilgesnipe, or chosen a labyrinth to make a stand against one. Although he wasn’t sure if Darcy had fled to the maze intentionally. It had been a bit of brilliant reasoning. Had she not been trapped by the dead end, she would have escaped. How she had managed to keep her head when it finally found her was incredible. Most women he knew would have resorted to screaming and hysteria.

Darcy also seemed completely unafraid of Loki himself. It must have been disconcerting for her to wake up and find herself at the mercy of a strange man, but she showed no indication of fear. She even jested with him. At least he _thought_ she was jesting. It was hard to tell. She certainly was saucy.

Now Loki was faced with the dilemma of what to do with her. He couldn’t leave her on her own in her weakened state, and it would be madness to bring her back to the palace. This meant he would have to stay on in the hunting lodge with her. He would also have to find a way to keep her from leaving until she was recovered and he had found her safe passage back to Midgard.

Loki stood up and paced the room, hands clasped behind his back. There were worse fates than spending some time with an attractive, mouthy Midgardian. Especially when the mouth in question was so entertaining. He gave a derisive snort. Fine. She stayed. He stepped over to Darcy and caught left wrist up in his hand, channeling a burst of binding energy around it. 

Task completed, Loki plucked a book from the shelves lining the far wall and dropped back into the chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He could get a bit of reading done, and keep an eye on his patient at the same time. Two birds, one stone. How convenient. Loki took another long look at Darcy, and suspected that it would be the last convenient occasion in his life for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Where's Midgard? Is that like, in Canada?"
> 
>  
> 
> _Allfather help me. This is going to be so much harder than I thought._


	4. How to care for your pet Midgardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Somebody_ woke up on the wrong side of Yggdrasil...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I don't want to say anything, because it will give away what this chapter is about. Please enjoy this awesome gif instead. :D
> 
>   
> 

This time when Darcy regained consciousness, her body felt less like something the cat had dragged in. She hesitantly pulled herself into a sitting position, immediately scrunching her eyes shut as the room shifted dizzyingly around her. Okay, clearly her head was still kinda messed up. Awesome. 

She lifted her hand up so she could rest her forehead on it, and noticed a thick, golden cuff clasped around her wrist. What the hell? Had Loki given her jewelry? Why? She turned it this way and that, trying to tug it off or at least find a way to undo it. There seemed to be no seam anywhere that she could find, just solid metal all the way around. Darcy shook her hand but it remained snug. 

Her mysterious host was nowhere to be seen. The chair he’d occupied the day before stood empty, and his book was abandoned on top of the small table next to it. Apparently he’d found something better to do than sit around and wait for her wake up. She couldn't say why, but for some reason that sort of bothered her. 

Now that her head had stopped spinning, she was able to get a good look at her surroundings. The room looked like something out of a fairy tale. It was full of whimsical, carved wood furniture. The ceiling had thick, heavy beams running through it, and the walls were creamy plaster. Even the bed she was lying on was ridiculously fancy. It was shaped like a boat, with a high, curving back. Or maybe it was a prow, she wasn't exactly sure.

There was also a large copper tub full of steaming water parked just in front of a stone fireplace near the far wall. As she sat there, staring at the tub, the door opened and Loki came striding into view.

“Good morning, Darcy,” he said cheerfully, walking straight up to her and settling his hands on her head. For a moment he seemed to be intently listening to something she couldn't hear, and then nodded, apparently satisfied with whatever result he’d gotten.

“Did you give me a CT scan with your hands?” she asked, peering up at his face.

Loki dropped his hands to his sides and took a step back. “I am unfamiliar with that term, but if you are asking whether or not I just checked on your head injury, then yes.”

“Oh,” she said, still not quite sure if she believed him. “Um...how is it?”

“Nearly repaired. I suspect it will be completely healed by tomorrow.”

“Huh. How ‘bout that.”

He stood there, watching her expectantly, and she looked around the room trying to think of something else to say. Her eyes finally fell on the random bathtub by the fireplace.

“What’s with the tub?” she asked.

“It’s for you, of course,” he said in a tone that inferred this should be obvious.

“Excuse me?” 

He spoke in small words as if he suspected the head injury might have damaged her brain. “It is a bathtub. Full of water. So that you may bathe. Is this not a custom you have in Midgard?”

Darcy glared at him. “Yeah, asshat, we bathe on Earth. Just generally not in the middle of our bedrooms. Doesn’t this place have a bathroom?”

“Of course it does, but the bathing pool in there would be dangerous in your fragile state.” He scrutinized her briefly before seeming to come to some conclusion. “Are you asking this because you wish to relieve yourself?”

The thought of needing a toilet hadn’t even crossed her mind until Loki mentioned it, but now that he’d brought it up, it was all she could think about. She really, really, really had to pee. Like...now. Not only that, but her eyes were burning like crazy and she realized that she’d been wearing the same contacts for almost 36 hours. Her fingers were itching to get them out.

Darcy couldn’t believe she was discussing this with a random dude wearing leather pants, in a room that looked like it was designed by Tesla and the Three Bears. It was beyond bizarre. “I um… Possibly.”

“I see.” He nodded once and then, before she could protest, scooped her up in his arms carried her out of the room, setting her down in front of a large wooden door.

Loki reached around her and opened the door, revealing an opulent bathroom complete with what must have been the bathing pool he was talking about set dead center. 

“Do you require any more assistance?” he asked, eyes averted down the hall.

Was he asking if she wanted him to come into the bathroom with her? Yeah, like _that_ was gonna happen. “Nope. I’m good. I definitely, definitely don’t need you in here. At all. In fact, you just stay on your side of the door, and I’ll stay one mine. How’s that?.” 

Loki seemed profoundly relieved. “Darcy, I assure you, I have no plans to breach this door. Please go take care of your needs.”

She took her hand and made the universal gesture for ‘I’ve got my eyes on you’ before stumbling inside the bathroom and pushing the door shut behind her. Once inside, she leaned back against it, feeling weak and dizzy. 

Okay. She needed to get a grip and get on with it. Darcy clutched at a nearby wall, and forced her legs to stop trembling. Just letting Loki know she needed to use the bathroom had been embarrassing enough, she didn’t even want to contemplate the amount of humiliation she’d suffer if she required a mid-potty rescue.

Somehow she managed to take care of things with zero mishaps, and quickly washed and dried her hands before removing her contacts. The bathroom immediately went out of focus. As she had no where to put them, and no solution to clean them with, she simply washed the contacts down the drain. Then she made her way blindly back to the door. 

By the time she got there, her legs were like jelly, and she spent several minutes just standing with her forehead pressed up against the wooden frame. She heard the doorknob rattle, and Loki’s voice asking if she were alright, but was too busy trying not to fall over to answer.

Seconds later there was a soft tap on her shoulder. “Darcy?” he asked worriedly, “are you ill?”

“Jesus Christ!” she exclaimed furiously. “Are you like, privacy impaired? How the hell did you get in here anyway?”

He drew back like she’d struck him. “Forgive me. When you were silent for so long, I became concerned. I could not open the door as you were leaning against it. So I teleported inside to see if you needed help.”

Darcy’s jaw dropped. Had he just said he _teleported_? “Pardon? You did what now?”

“I teleported inside to see if you were alright,” Loki repeated patiently. “Are you?”

“No you didn’t,” she said. “People don’t teleport.”

He smiled at her. “I am not most people.”

“Oh my God,” she muttered to herself, “I’m stuck in the three bears’ house with a lunatic.” Then she addressed said lunatic. “Listen, I don’t care who you are. People can’t teleport. It’s fundamentally impossible.”

“Is it?” he asked, smile growing larger. “I will meet you on the other side of the door, Darcy Lewis.”

He vanished. Like, completely, totally, and absolutely disappeared. Right in front of her. Darcy looked around the room wildly, trying to figure out if there was a trap door, or some sort of explanation for what she’d just seen. 

A few seconds later, he reappeared less than a foot away from her, still smiling. “Does this mean you are not going to meet me?”

“How are you doing that?” she demanded. “Is it something with mirrors?”

“No. It is much more like me shifting my matter through spatial planes. Would you like to try it?”

“Would I like to try _teleporting_? Are you fucking serious right now?”

Loki shrugged nonchalantly. “Of course.” He held his hand out to her.

Darcy looked at the proffered hand and shook her head. “I am so going to regret this, aren’t I?”

“I have no way of knowing whether you will regret it or not. Why not take my hand and see what happens?” he offered.

She did. For a second nothing happened, and then she felt a sudden rush like pins and needles all over her body. When the world settled again, Darcy found herself back in her room, standing next to the copper tub.

“Well? Are you awash in regret?” Loki asked dryly, green eyes full of amusement.

Darcy gaped at him. “What the hell _are_ you?”

“I thought we covered this yesterday,” he calmly informed her. “I am the God of Mischief.”

“Um, no,” she disagreed stubbornly. “You aren’t.”

“No?” He raised his eyebrows at her. “Why ever not?”

She realized they were still holding hands, and tugged hers free. “Because, that’s impossible.”

“Like teleporting?” Loki smirked.

“I can’t do this,” she said under her breath. “I can’t do mythological gods and teleporting first thing in the morning. I just can’t. I haven't even had any coffee. Please tell me you can teleport up some coffee.”

There was no answer from Loki, as he had moved his attention from her to the tub. He was gazing down into it, frowning. It seemed that the water had gone cold in their absence. He lifted his hand and moved it over the surface of the water, satisfaction crossing his features as steam once again began rising.

Then he turned to Darcy. “It is ready. You may undress.”

She took a step back from the tub. “Have you lost your mind?” 

“Surely you don’t intend to bathe fully clothed?” he asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

“No,” she said, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. “I don’t intend to bathe in front of _you_ ,” 

“Darcy, you are covered in blood and filth,” he argued. “I assure you, my motivations are purely concerned with your safety and comfort, not with debasing your fair person.”

“Yeah, sorry, but I don’t buy that. This isn’t my first rodeo, buddy. My fair person is keeping her clothes on until you leave the room.”

"I do not wish to leave you on your own." He waved his hands in front of the tub and a large, carved wood screen appeared. “Would this be more acceptable?”

Darcy eyed the screen warily. “You don’t have like, x-ray vision, do you?”

He sighed in exasperation. “If that were case, I would already have seen everything of interest, and the screen would be a moot point. Truly, Darcy, you have nothing to fear from me.”

She looked at the screen again and then back at Loki. “Okay,” she assented grudgingly, “just make sure you stay on your side of the screen. No pervy teleporting, or so help me, if I ever get my taser back, I will tase you straight into next week. Are we clear?”

“I highly doubt your pitiful Midgardian weapon would have any effect on me,” he scoffed.

Darcy arched her eyebrow at him. “Oh really? Maybe we should test that theory out sometime, because I bet it would knock you right on your arrogant, mythological ass.”

"Are you threatening me?" Loki’s expression was a combination of irritation and admiration. “You are the most unusual woman I have ever met.”

“Loki, focus.” She pointed at herself “I’m going to take a bath.” Then she pointed at him and to the blurry mass she thought was his chair. “You are staying in that chair, far, far away from my naked body, or I will hurt you in ways you cannot even imagine. Capiche?”

He rolled his eyes at her. “Yes, of course I understand. I am not witless, and you are not subtle.”

She was pretty sure him saying he understood was nothing like a promise to let her have her privacy, but she decided to let it go. The blood and dirt on her skin was itchy as hell, and a hot bath sounded like heaven despite the location and potential for an audience. She cautiously moved towards the screen, and immediately crashed into the side of it. 

“Are you sure you do not need my help,” Loki asked politely, watching her right herself. “Or was your wrestling match with the dressing screen intentional?”

“It’s not my fault,” she snapped. “I had to take my contacts out earlier and now I’m basically blind.”

“You should have told me, I could have remedied it immediately. Close your eyes,” he ordered. Darcy glared at him for a moment, but did as he requested. The moment her eyes were closed, Loki gently brushed his thumbs over her eyelids. “There. Better?”

She opened her eyes and gasped as the entire room came into perfect focus. “What did you just do? I can see!”

Loki waved his hand modestly. “It’s a simple light refraction spell.”

“Well whatever it is, it’s amazing. My vision has never been this good, ever.” She blinked a few times and gazed around the room happily. “If the whole Viking God thing doesn’t work out for you, you definitely have a career in ophthalmology to fall back on.”

He looked at her like she’d just dribbled on her shirt. 

“You know...ophthalmology? Eye doctor? No? Nevermind. Just go sit in your chair so I can get this over with.” She waited until he returned to his spot, and then made her way behind the screen, neatly avoiding incident this time. 

Getting out of her clothes proved more difficult and tiring than she could have imagined. By the time she had them off, Darcy was shaking with the effort to remain standing. She eyed the high edge of the tub apprehensively, but decided she would pretty much rather die a slow death by bilgesnipe than ask Loki for help. 

With shaking hands, she clutched the side of the tub and fought to bring one leg over. She was midway through lifting the other leg over to join it, when disaster struck. Her foot slipped on the copper bottom, and before she could right herself, her knee went out from under her. Darcy shrieked as she tumbled under the water with a giant splash. 

Almost instantaneously, strong arms wrapped around her torso and drew her back to the surface where she choked and sputtered. 

“Oh my God! _Loki_! Let go!” she shouted at him, desperately trying to cover herself with her hands.

“Are you completely mad?” he asked, refusing to relinquish his grip on her.

“We had an agreement. You were supposed to stay in the chair,” she replied furiously. “I’m fine. I just slipped.”

Darcy, if I release you now, there is a distinct possibility that you will drown,” he calmly informed her. 

“Get your fucking hands off me, I’m fine!” She struggled to get away, pushing weakly at his arms.

Loki sighed and shook his head. “Suit yourself.” 

The moment he let go, she sank straight back under the water like a stone. Darcy clawed frantically at the sides of the tub, but couldn’t find the strength to pull herself up. Spots were starting to cloud her vision by the time he reached into the bath, and tugged her back up to the surface again. 

“Now will you accept my help?” he asked, holding her upright with his hands around her upper arms as she gasped for air. “I did not save you from the bilgesnipe just to have you die in the bath.”

She bit her lip, knees pulled up nearly to her chin in an effort shield her nudity from his eyes. Green eyes waged war with blue as he waited for her to give in. She refused to budge.

“Clearly, we are at an impasse," he said, rubbing one hand over his eyes, and holding onto to her with the other. "You would prefer me to be elsewhere. _I_ am not about to leave you alone to drown. Therefore, we must find another solution. Is there something I could do which would make you more comfortable while remaining here to ensure you continue breathing?”

Darcy looked from the water to Loki, trying to think of a way to make the whole thing less mortifying. Unfortunately she kept getting distracted by the sight of his concerned, slightly flushed face as he leaned on the side of the tub. Why did he have to be so damn pretty? It was patently unfair to her psyche.

Meanwhile he had gotten tired of waiting for her to make a decision. Dipping two fingers into the tub, he swirled them in a gentle clockwise direction, and she watched in amazement as the water turned a creamy, whitish-opaque. 

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Well? Has your need for privacy been appeased?”

Darcy relaxed the death grip she had around her knees. “Yeah, I guess. Just make sure you keep your hands above the water line, buster.”

Loki gave her a small round cake of soap and a sponge. "Darcy, had I any intention of seducing you during your bath, you would be enjoying yourself far more than this already. Trust me."

Of course that made her think of him seducing her, and her whole body blushed bright scarlet all over. Sneaking a quick glance at him to see if he'd noticed, she saw him staring into the fireplace with a tense expression on his face. Darcy sank down into the water as low as she could without dislodging his grip, and completed what was possibly the fastest personal grooming of her entire life. She’d just rinsed the soap out of her hair using a small ewer that Loki had somehow plucked out of thin air, when he turned back to her. 

“Finished?” 

“Um…” Darcy hedged. If she said she was done then she would have to get out of the bath, and that was sort of problematic because he would see her naked. Well, more naked than he’d seen her already, anyway.

“It’s a simple yes or no question,” Loki said impatiently.

Darcy pretended to study her fingers as she flicked them in the water. “Yeah, I know...but if I say yes, you’re gonna lift me out.”

Understanding washed over his features. “I see. Do you think you can stand on your own?”

She braced both hands on either side of the tub and nodded.

“Well then, I will leave you a towel and go on the other side of the screen. Once you are covered, let me know, and I shall retrieve you. Is this acceptable?”

“Yeah, that's acceptable I guess.” she said, and Loki handed her a large, linen towel before releasing his old on her arm.

Once he’d gotten to the other side of the screen, the water began rapidly draining from the tub. She wasn’t sure where it was going, as there didn’t seem to be any plumbing connected anywhere but it was definitely disappearing fast. 

As soon as it was empty, she wrapped the towel around herself and stood up. “Uh, Loki?” she said nervously, grasping the towel firmly in both hands. “I’m all ready.”

He didn’t answer, just appeared in front of her and lifted her out of the bath. The screen and tub evaporated completely as he settled her back down on the bed. 

“How do you do that?” she asked, clutching the towel tightly as she curled her legs up under herself. “Make stuff just appear and disappear like that.”

“The same way I teleport. I shift them between spatial planes,” he answered. “Either that or I create an illusion, but illusions aren’t corporeal. You’d hardly be able to take a bath in one.”

“Wow,” she said, totally fascinated. “Can you do anything else?”

“I can make doubles,” he said, and she was suddenly confronted by a second Loki, this one sitting on the bed next to her and studying her face with his brow arched.

She reached out towards him, and the molecules scattered like dust motes as her hand swept through his chest. “Whoa! That is so cool! So, this one is an illusion then?”

“As long as I want it to be. Try to touch it again,” Loki suggested.

This time as soon as her hand got close, the double gave her a wicked grin and grabbed her wrist, fingers warm against her skin. 

Darcy jumped in surprise and then laughed. “He’s awesome. Can he talk?” she asked.

“Of course I can,” the Loki double said. “In fact, there’s no limit to what I can do.” He slowly slid his fingers to her pulse point. 

She gulped. “Are you controlling him, or is he like...doing his own thing right now?”

“Why?" Loki teased. "Are you enjoying it?”

“No,” she lied quickly, pulling her arm out of the double’s grasp. “I’m just trying to understand how it works.”

“It’s a simple doppelganger. Which means I merely throw enough of my consciousness into it so it can respond to conversation and stimuli. Very useful though. Especially when I need another set of hands to defend myself...or for other reasons.” 

Darcy wondered what those other reasons might be. She found herself blushing again as her mind went to a very smutty place. This time she looked up to find his eyes fixed on her as if he were trying to puzzle out what was going on in her head. Crap.

“God, I’m tired," she said loudly, trying to cover for her utterly inappropriate fantasizing about him. "Recovering from a traumatic injury sucks.” Darcy rubbed her hand over her eyes, catching sight of the gold band around her wrist again, “Hey, I meant to ask you, what’s the bracelet about?”

Loki flicked his fingers, and the double disappeared. “It is a binding spell.”

“Oh, right." She nodded, and then his words suddenly registered. "Wait, _what_?” 

“The cuff prevents you from leaving the hunting lodge without me.”

She stared at the bracelet in horror. “Seriously, dude? You’ve put me on gingerbread house arrest? You can’t just do that.”

“I think you’ll find I can,” was his infuriating response. “At any rate, you are not under arrest, but I cannot have you wandering about when I am not here. You’re not from this realm. You have no understanding of the dangers or the culture. Should you be spotted by anyone else, it is very likely that you _will_ be arrested. I am merely trying to prevent that from happening until I can find a way to return you to Midgard undetected.”

How he made kidnapping sound like a logical course of action was incredible to her. 

“You know, if you’re going to keep me here, the least you could do is provide me with a change of clothes,” she finally bit out, looking around for something she could throw at his head.

Loki looked momentarily thrown. “Yes. Of course. I apologize for not thinking of that.”

“Seriously? It hadn’t occurred to you that I might like to get dressed in something _other_ than my dirty clothes?” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t quit your day job of being the God of Mischief, because you suck at being a kidnapper.”

“I did not kidnap you, Darcy! I saved your _life_!” he retorted, positively fuming.

She snorted. “Yeah, two days ago.”

“You want clothes? Fine!” Loki waved both hands at her in a lightning quick gesture.

There was a strange tingling all over her skin, and Darcy watched in shock as a long, dark green dress shimmered into place on her body. 

“Great,” she said sulkily, pinching a bit of the silky fabric between her thumb and forefinger. “Now we both look like extras from a Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“I think you look lovely,” he replied stiffly. “Asgardian garb suits you.”

“Whatever," she snapped. "A new dress doesn't make up for holding me against my will."

"Darcy," he began pleadingly, "I am not holding you against your will."

She shook the wrist with the bracelet on it at him, and then turned her face away, refusing to look at him again.

"Are you not speaking to me now?" he asked, completely frustrated.

She refused to answer.

"Fine," he said. "Have it your way." He dropped back into his chair and picked up his book.

The rest of the day passed in total silence. Loki seemed to have no interest in engaging her in further conversation, and Darcy wasn't about to cave and speak to him first. The only sounds were the turning of pages, and the scratching of his pen as he made various annotations on a piece of parchment in front of him. 

He left the room just once, and returned a short time later with some sort of broth for her in a bowl. She wolfed it down, not realizing just how hungry she was until food was set in front of her. Once she’d finished, Loki removed the bowl wordlessly, and then went back to his book.

As the sky began to darken outside, he finally dropped his pen and stood up. “I am going to bed. Should you have need of me, my room is just across the hall.”

With that he abruptly disappeared. 

She huffed in annoyance. Having him in the room being unfriendly hadn’t been fun exactly, but at least it gave her something to look at. Now she was just lying there completely bored. 

Out of desperation, she slid across the bed until she was close enough to pluck his book off the small table where it sat. After a few minutes of fruitlessly flicking through the pages, she realized the whole thing was written in some sort of weird, runic language that she couldn’t hope to understand. God, she missed her TV. 

Darcy flopped back down on her pillows and wondered what the hell she was going to do. For the moment it seemed like she was pretty much stuck with Loki. Her last thought before she fell asleep was of the way he’d looked at her when he told her she was lovely. She really hated to admit that she liked it, but she had. No one had ever called her lovely before. Or saved her life.

 _Or_ imprisoned her with a magical bracelet, she reminded herself. She was totally going to figure out how to get it off in the morning. Probably.


	5. Beware approaching Thunderstorms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visitors are totally inconvenient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I sum up the chapter with a gif:

************Earth, Three Days Earlier************

“Let me just see if I understand you fully, Dr. Foster,” the imposing man with the eyepatch intoned. “This...contraption…” He gestured at the odd looking metal box standing on spindly legs in front of him. “...that caused the massive spike in electro-magnetic activity twenty-four hours ago, is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge?”

Jane fidgeted in her seat. “I’m sorry, where did you say you were from again?”

“I work for S.H.I.E.L.D. Just consider us a branch of Homeland Security that deals in unexplained anomalies. Anomalies like your little machine here.”

“Uhuh.” Jane watched as two men carried several pieces of her precious equipment outside and started loading them into a black van. “I’m sorry, but I _paid_ for that equipment. It’s mine. You can’t just confiscate it.”

Director Fury planted one hand on the edge of her desk and leaned over her. “I’m afraid we can, Dr. Foster. Now, if you could please just explain to me what it was that happened on Monday morning, we could all get out of your hair.”

“Sir?” A man in a suit came bustling up with a folder in his hand. “It says here that there are three people working in this facility. Dr. Jane Foster, Dr. Erik Selvig, who is being interviewed by Agent Hill, and an intern named Darcy Lewis. She’s currently unaccounted for.”

Fury took the folder, studied it a moment, and then slapped it down on the desk. “Why didn’t you tell us you had an intern? Where is she now?”

“I’m not exactly sure where Darcy is at the moment,” Jane said. “We may have slightly lost track of her when the wormhole opened.”

“You _lost_ your intern in a wormhole?” Director Fury’s good eye bulged.

Jane sighed. “More like misplaced, and I’ve been working on some calculations to find her. I’m very close to discovering where she ended up. We should have her back here any minute.”

He looked from the astrophysicist sitting in front of him, to the rickety machine on the desk. Then he turned to Agent Coulson. “Get everything packed up. Then take all of it, and _her_ , back to the helicarrier. I want this girl found immediately. Get Stark on it if you have to.”

“Yes, sir. If you’ll just come with me, Dr. Foster.” The agent waited patiently for Jane to stand up.

“I’m sorry, but am I being detained? Don’t you at least have to read me my rights?” Jane said irately, glaring at the two men currently having her life’s work dismantled.

“Dr. Foster, do you want to get your friend back, or not?”

“Yes. Of course I want to get Darcy back,” she snapped.

“Well then, I suggest you stop wasting my time and get in the van with Agent Coulson.” Fury pointed to one of the vehicles parked outside.

“Fine, but just know I am going to write a scathing letter to my Congressman when this is all over,” she informed him.

“I’ll make sure you are provided with paper,” he responded dryly. “See to it that this entire facility gets wiped, Coulson. We can’t any of this technology falling into the wrong hands. And…” He paused and watched as Dr. Selvig spoke animatedly to Agent Hill. “...bring him too.”

“You’ve got it, sir. I’ll see you back at headquarters. Ready, Dr. Foster?”

She picked up the device from the desk and cradled it gently in her arms. “Yes, and just so you know, I want my entire lab put back together when this is over.”

“If you’re unable to locate Ms Lewis, Dr. Foster,” Fury said grimly, “your lab will be the least of your worries.”

************Meanwhile...back on Asgard...************

Two days. That was how long it had been since the petulant, ungrateful, _infuriating_ Midgardian had said so much as one word to him. She did a fair amount of glaring, though. Loki suspected that if Darcy could kill with a looks alone, he’d have been dead several times over already.

He had tried to reason with her, but she refused to listen. The situation was becoming untenable. Loki was a prince of Asgard. The fact that he was being given the silent treatment by a mortal girl was incredible. He was completely out of patience with her. 

Slamming a tray down on the countertop, he began to pull together something for her to eat. They were quickly going through the meager supplies left in the hunting lodge. At some point, he was going to have to return to the palace for food, and then there were bound to be awkward questions. He had been gone for nearly a week. In truth he was surprised no one had come looking for him yet. Especially with Thor’s coronation looming on the horizon.

Loki was doing his best to avoid thinking of the coronation. He truly could not comprehend what his father was thinking, handing the throne over to Thor. His brother had a positive inability to keep a level head in tense situations, and a tendency to be self-aggrandizing. Neither of these qualities made for a good ruler. It was not that Loki believed his older brother should never take the throne, but ruling the Æsir was a massive responsibility, and he was not sure Thor had the maturity it required.

Not that his opinion mattered. The Allfather had decided it was time for Thor to become king, and Loki would just have to deal with it. He knew his mother had her doubts as well, but as of yet, she hadn’t done anything to stand in the way or her eldest son ascending to the throne. Loki had no idea what she might be saying to her husband in private, though. Perhaps his mother was speaking her mind where her sons couldn’t hear.

He had just finished filling the tray with food when he heard the sound of riders approaching. A quick glimpse out the window showed the horsemen to be his brother, and the perennially irritating Fandral. Perfect. This was _all_ he needed. They were bound to discover Darcy, and then he would have to explain what exactly he was doing alone with a young woman in the family hunting box.

Thor and Fandral dismounted, and led their horses into the stable. Minutes later they reappeared, laughing as they strode towards the front door. 

“Loki!,” Thor’s loud voice boomed as he threw the door open so hard that it bounced off the wall. “Is this where you have been hiding? Mother has been worried. Ah, food.”

He immediately crossed the room and dug into the plate of dried meat, cheese, and bread on the tray. Fandral followed close on his heels, thoughtfully perusing the room, and the tray with two plates on it, as if he already suspected Loki had someone else there.

“Hello, Loki, how goes the hunting? Bring down many pheasants? Or are you perhaps courting _larger_ quarry?” the other man asked, with a wink at the end of his last sentence.

“Neither,” Loki replied, trying to think of a way to get rid of them. “I merely wished to have time away from the palace for some quiet contemplation before Thor’s coronation.”

“You mean sulking because it’s not you, eh?” Fandral said, clapping him in the back. “You should be rejoicing in your status as the spare pot. All the luxuries that come with being royalty and none of the responsibilities. Think of all the women who would jump at the chance to bed the future king’s baby brother.”

“How kind of you to point that out, Fandral. Shall I get right down to the business of being a spare pot, then? Tell me, do I get to bed these throngs of lusty maidens during the coronation, or would it be best to wait until after?” Loki retorted. 

Thor threw his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “Come now, Loki. Fandral was only jesting. Kiss and make up, you two.”

Fandral smacked his lips together derisively, and Loki fought the urge to belt him across his smug face with one of the iron pots hanging on a rack above them. Thor had polished off all the dried meat at this point, and was starting in the the cheese.

“So, brother, will you be returning to the palace with us?” he asked, tearing a hunk of bread off the loaf and handing it to Fandral. 

Loki hesitated. If he appeared too reticent to return, it would arouse suspicion. He couldn’t very well leave Darcy on her own, though. Dilemma, dilemma. He was just about to open his mouth to answer when the creaking of floorboards could be heard coming from upstairs. 

Thor’s brow furrowed. “Have you a guest? I only recall seeing your horse in the stable.”

Fandral was a bit quicker on the uptake. He leaned back with his arms folded over his chest, smirking. “Yes, Loki. Tell us, what manner of guest are you hiding away upstairs?”

“I am hiding no one away upstairs,” Loki replied smoothly. “Old houses often make noises, this one is no exception.” He put a hand on each of their shoulders and tried to steer them to the door. “Thank you both for checking on me. Please tell mother that I am fine, and shall be returning to the palace shortly.”

Fandral ducked under Loki’s hand and started back for the stairway. “If there is no one upstairs, then there is no harm in me looking, is there?” he asked.

“No, no, no, no,” Loki protested, moving to get between him and the stairs. “There is no need for that.”

“Now why would you guard the stairs, unless there was something at the top of them that you did not wish us to see?” Fandral grinned at Thor. “Do you not agree, Thor?”

“Perhaps someone has broken in,” Thor replied, grinning back.

“Well, in that case, we could hardly leave without investigating.”

“No, we could not.”

The two men bolted for the stairs. Loki teleported and reached the top just as they did. Unfortunately, Darcy chose that very moment to come see what all the commotion was about. Loki rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. Silvertongue or not, there was not a chance he was talking his way out of this one.

“Well, well,” Fandral chuckled. “Not a pheasant after all, but a partridge.” 

“You invited your friends over?” she asked Loki indignantly. 

Oh, so _now_ she was speaking to him? Two days of silence, but Thor shows up, and she suddenly feels chatty. 

“I did not invite them,” he replied acidly. “They took it upon themselves to visit.”

Fandral picked up Darcy’s hand and kissed it, giving her a long, lingering gaze. “Hello, partridge, you may call me Fandral.”

She snorted. “Seriously dude? Does that usually work for you? Because I gotta be honest, the whole Robin Hood plus pedo mustache thing doesn’t really do it for me.”

The womanizing warrior gaped at her. Loki had to choke back a laugh. It was almost worth being found out to have seen her insult Fandral into speechlessness. 

“Forgive us,” Thor said, pulling his friend back by the arm. “We had no idea we were interrupting anything when we arrived.”

Darcy narrowed her eyes. “Just what do you think you’re interrupting? Are you carrying a _hammer_? Who does that?”

"This is Mjölnir," Thor informed her. "And I am Thor, Loki's brother." 

She blinked at him. "You named your hammer after a cat? Loki, I'm sure you probably already know this, but your brother and his friend are totally weird."

“You speak oddly,” Fandral said suspiciously. “Where are you from?”

“We met in Vanaheim,” Loki said, moving to shield Darcy from their view before she could say anything else. “Is your curiosity regarding my guest appeased now?” he asked, directing the question at his brother.

“Indeed. Come Fandral, we will return to the palace and tell the Queen all is well with my brother,” Thor said, eyeing Loki skeptically. As he walked by him to return downstairs, he muttered, “I would speak with you outside.”

Once they reached the front of the hunting box, Thor sent Fandral to retrieve the horses, and turned to speak with Loki. “That girl is no more from Vanaheim than this gatepost is,” he asserted. “Where did you truly find her?”

“She is from Midgard,” Loki told him, conveniently omitting the part about her magically appearing in the woods.

“You have taken a Midgardian lover?”

Of course Thor would assume that. Although Loki supposed it was safer than the truth. “Yes.”

Thor nodded. “I see.”

“Don’t tell father,” Loki begged. “You know how he is. As soon as I am finished with her, I plan to return her home. No one need ever know she was here.”

“I will not tell him, but you must return her to Midgard, Loki. It is never wise to involve yourself with a mortal.”

Loki chafed under Thor’s chiding tone. Back when they were worshiped as gods, Thor had a string of mortal lovers that would have stretched the length and breadth of the Bifröst. However, the situation called for diplomacy, so he bit back his scathing reply.

“The girl is nothing to me, brother,” he said mildly. “I am tiring of her already.” At least his last statement had some truth in it. 

“Well then, I leave it to your discretion to deal with her. I will also send a servant to replenish the food we have eaten.”

“Thank you,” Loki said. “And thank you for your silence as well.”

“You have my word that no one shall know as long as she finds her way back to Midgard soon. Visit her there, if you must. Asgard is no place for mortals.” With that, he strode off to where Fandral was holding their horses.

Loki watched as the pair rode away, remaining until they were out of sight, before returning to the house. When he got inside, he found Darcy standing in the entryway waiting for him.

“Did you need something?” he asked, hoping she hadn’t heard him tell Thor that they were lovers.

“Yeah, um, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. You know, for the past couple of days. I’m still not okay with the house arrest thing, but I after meeting those guys I get why you did it. I’m really not on Earth anymore, am I?”

“No. You are not.” Loki could not believe the meek, unsure girl standing in front of him was the one who had shrieked at him like a fishwife two days earlier. She looked completely lost, and he had a sudden urge to put his arms around her the way his mother had done for him when he was small and frightened.

“Right. So, anyway, truce?” Darcy held her hand out to him, waiting.

He took it, folding his fingers around her small, warm palm, and gravely meeting her eyes. “Truce." Then he smiled. "Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” she replied, with a bit more of her usual enthusiasm.

“Well then, I believe Thor may not have actually eaten everything. Perhaps we can still find something left in the kitchen.”

She followed him down to the kitchen and perched on a chair as he went about getting them something to eat. 

“So,” she said, ripping a piece of bread into smaller bits, “tell me about Asgard.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about his home. She asked a great many questions, and he answered them as best as he could. After several hours of speaking with her, he found to his shock that he was thoroughly enjoying her company. 

That could be dangerous. The last thing Loki needed was to form an attachment to a Midgardian woman. Thor had been right when he said it was unwise to get involved with mortals. The sooner she was healed and away from Asgard, the better.


	6. The best laid plans of Mischief and Midgardians....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our heroes get a very chilly reception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a super-awesome weekend. :D I did. I'm about to take existing movie canon and put a big, fat spin on it, so everyone get ready. Wheeee!
> 
> ********************************************************

Darcy was bored.

Loki had been gone for hours. He claimed that he was looking for some sort of passage to get her back home. Apparently secret routes between the realms existed, but they weren’t easy to find or navigate. The whole past week, he'd been studying different books and making trips during the day to try and find one.

He’d warded the house before he left so nothing could get in, and because of her bracelet she couldn’t get out. So she was stuck poking around through his books and scrolls until he got back.

She had just replaced a book back on the shelves, when she heard him arrive downstairs. 

“I’m pretty sure it’s in the Geneva Convention that you can’t leave a prisoner with nothing to do for over six hours,” she yelled towards the steps. “This is cruel and unusual boredom, Loki.”

He didn’t respond, but a chain immediately appeared across the room from a ring embedded in the wall, snaked across the floor, and attached itself to her cuff. Then the words _Keep that up, and your ankles are next, mortal._ appeared on the shiny gold surface in fancy script.

“Haha. You think you’re so cute,” she called down to him. “Why don’t you come up here and say that to my face?”

The moment the words left her mouth, he appeared in front of her, grinning. “You requested my presence?”

Darcy jumped and nearly tripped over the chair behind her. “GAH! I _told_ you to stop doing that!”

She could see he was holding back laughter. “Forgive me. I had no intention of scaring you.”

“Liar. You love doing that, and we both know it.” She lifted her wrist up and the large gold links dragged noisily across the floor. “I’m chained to the wall now? Kinky. So, any luck finding me a way back?”

Loki waved his hand and the chain disappeared. “Yes, but it is in Jötunheim, which is less than ideal.” He frowned.

“What’s yotiheim?” she asked. 

“Jötunheim,” he corrected absently, pulling a scroll free from its place on the shelves, and carefully spreading it out on the desk. “Home of the Frost Giants. It is a world of ice and snow. The passageway back to Midgard lies in the mountains.”

Darcy looked at the illustration on the scroll. “Is that a tree? It’s pretty.”

He nodded. “This is Yggdrasil, the World Tree. All the realms are connected through it. We are here right now, in Asgard.” Loki pointed to the uppermost floating island near the top branches. “Where you are from, Midgard, is just here.” He touched another floating landmass near the middle of the tree.

“Is this Jötunheim?” Darcy inquired, tapping a ring of snow-capped mountains ringing the tree below Midgard.

“It is. And we will need to travel through it, if I wish to get you home undetected.” 

“Really?” She bent her head over the map with interest. “I’ve never seen snow.”

“How have you never seen snow?" Loki asked. "It snows in Midgard." 

Darcy shook her head. “Maybe the parts of Earth you’ve been to have snow, but I grew up in the desert. You have to go up really high in the mountains if you want to see snow, and I’ve never been.”

Loki was silent for a moment, just looking at the map and then he said, “Well you are going to see it. I am afraid there is no avoiding it in Jötunheim.”

“I’m really going home?” she asked excitedly. Earth! Television! Her iPod! “How soon can we leave?”

“That all depends,” he replied. “Are you capable of obeying me and not wandering off? Jötunheim is dangerous. You would have to remain with me at all times, and follow my orders no matter how insignificant they seem to you.”

“Yep. I can totally do that,” she said blithely, and started towards the door. “Let’s go.” 

He caught her by the shoulder, and gave her a once over. “You cannot go like that unless you want to die of frostbite.”

Darcy was wearing the jeans and t-shirt she’d arrived in, which he’d conveniently cleaned for her with some sort of spell. "Are you going to make me a coat?" she asked.

"Something like that," he answered. 

Loki took her wrist in one hand, and drew the fingers of the other slowly up her arm. Magic followed in the wake of his fingertips, and she fought the urge to shiver under his touch. He hand passed behind her shoulders and then down to her other wrist. When he had finished, she was wearing a thick, woolen tunic with a hood lined in fur over her jeans and t-shirt, mittens, and heavy boots. 

Of course it was green, because everything he made her was green. 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “There’s an entire spectrum of other colors you know,” she said. “For instance, I really like blue.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her, and the tunic slowly changed to deep cobalt blue. “Will there be anything else?”

“No, show-off," she snorted. "I’m good.”

“Good,” he said, and reached out to pull her hood up. Then he touched the gold bracelet, and it blazed briefly with green magic. Loki lifted up his own wrist and showed her a similar cuff wrapped around it. “This will allow you to leave the house, and will link you to me. That way, should you get lost, I can locate you.”

“Does it work both ways?” she asked, twisting the bracelet around her arm. “I mean, what if you get lost?”

He looked completely amused by her suggestion that he might get lost, but brushed his fingers over his own cuff and it lit up with the same magic hers had. “Now you can find me as well.”

“It’s not doing anything,” she told him.

“We are not separated at the moment. As long as we stay near each other, the cuffs will remain dormant. Now,” he said, offering her his arm, “are you ready to go home?”

Teleporting was pretty cool. They went from her bedroom in the hunting lodge, to some cave in the mountains in no time flat. Loki made a little glowing sphere of light to illuminate the dark cavern, and led her through the twisting passageways. Gradually the space around them narrowed, and soon Darcy could see light spilling inwards from somewhere up ahead.

As they approached the entrance out of the cave, Loki stopped her and went on alone. She watched while he slipped through the small opening. Moments later he came back. 

“We appear to be alone. Now remember, stay with me. There are things here that would make that bilgesnipe look like a pet kitten. So, should we run into any trouble, let me handle it.”

“You got it, boss,” Darcy said, and gave him a thumbs up. “Although I can’t imagine anything worse than a bilgesnipe.”

“You have never seen a Frost Giant,” he told her. “They are monstrous.”

“Let’s not run into any, then,” she said. “Monstrous sounds awful.”

He made a humming sound of agreement, and took her hand to lead her out of the cave. As they finally stepped out into the open air, Darcy went stock-still and gasped. A frozen landscape spread out before her as far as the eye could see. It was both desolate and beautiful all at once. Snowflakes blew around her in the frigid air, and huge pillars of raw ice rose out of the ground to spiral skyward in every direction.

“Wow… Loki, this is gorgeous. I mean, seriously, wow. And snow! Look at all the snow!” She bent down and scoop a big handful up. “My first snow!”

Darcy turned around, flopped over backwards, and began sweeping her arms and legs up and down in the fluffy, frozen goodness.

Loki’s face appeared above her, expression completely puzzled. “What are you doing?”

“Making a snow angel,” she informed him. “I’ve seen them on TV.” She stopped moving and then held her hands up. “Pull.”

He caught her hands and hauled her to her feet. She promptly bounced around to look at the shape she’d made on the ground. 

“See? There are my wings, and my angel dress, and..hang on.” Darcy marched around to the top of the angel and then used her mitten-clad hand to form a circle over its head. “That’s my halo. Now you do one.”

Loki laughed. “No.”

“Oh come on. No one is looking. Make a snow angel,” she coaxed. “Then we’ll have a little one and a big one.”

“I am not going to lie down in the snow, and wave my arms about like a toddler,” he said, still smiling at her.

“One, don’t think I didn’t notice you just called me a toddler, and two, you totally are, because I’m not leaving until you do,” she said, pushing on his chest. “On the ground, God of Mischief. I want to see you make an angel.”

He sighed loudly and then dropped back into the snow. “If you ever tell anyone about this, I shall shackle you to the wall indefinitely.”

“Who am I going to tell?” she retorted. “All the Vikings that no longer exist?” She poked his foot with the toe of her boot. “I don’t see you moving.”

He moved his arms slightly while giving her a sardonic smile. 

Darcy snorted. “Come on you big baby. Put your back into it.”

Loki just shook his head at her. “I feel ridiculous.”

“That’s kind of the point. Don’t you ever just do ridiculous things? It’s good for the soul. Here, I’ll help.” She knelt down on the ground, and grabbed his ankles, giggling as she moved his legs back and forth in short arcs. “I can’t do this right. Your legs are too damn long. It looks like your angel is wearing a pencil skirt.”

“Maybe you will have better luck with my arms,” he replied, lifting his head up so he could see what she was doing with his feet.

Darcy stood up and walked around to the side of him, debating how to best reach his arms. Finally she shrugged and said, “Don’t freak out and turn me into a toad or anything.”

“Why would I turn you into a…” he started to ask, but was cut off by her landing full length on top of him.

“Holy shit. You are so much more solid than I thought,” she said, voice muffled by his chest. “Okay, hang on. I’m going to need to move up a little bit.”

He looked completely dumbfounded as she scooted up far enough to stretch her arms out over his. Darcy started laughing.

“Oh my God, the look on your face. Don’t worry, Loki,” she said, still laughing “I’m not going to do naughty things to your fair person or whatever. Not while I’m making a snow angel, anyway, because that would just be sacrilegious.”

She began moving his arms up and down as she spoke. He just muttered something in a language she didn’t understand, and let her do it. Once she decided the wings were probably formed, Darcy wriggled back down his body and stood up.

“Okay,” she said, “I think you’re good.” She grabbed his hand and tugged, and he let her pull him to his feet.

For a few seconds they both stood there admiring her work, and brushing the snow off their clothes. 

“You need a halo too,” she decided, and put one above the head on his angel to match the one on hers. “There. Perfect. We can go now.”

Loki pointed up at a ridge winding around the side of the mountain. “This way. Remember, stay near me.”

They hadn’t been walking more than a minute when his head snapped up, whole body tense as he scanned the path ahead of them.

“Darcy,” he said in a low tone. “We need to get back to the cave. Now.”

“What? Why?” she asked in confusion. “We just got here.”

“ _Now_ , Darcy.” 

He reached for her, as if to teleport, and two huge, blue men stepped out from behind one of the tall ice structures nearby. Loki immediately assumed a defensive posture in front of her, green magic shimmering over his frame like an electric current. Without thinking, Darcy took a step back and lost her balance, sliding down the steep incline behind her. She rolled to a stop at the bottom, and pushed back up to her feet just in time to see several more Frost Giants come around an outcropping of rock just in front of her.

She looked up at Loki, now clad in full armor, including a helmet with giant, curving horns. He was facing down the scary guys at the top of the hill, as the ones with Darcy started to fence her in. They were massive, with strange markings all over their bodies, and only wearing some sort of little kilt things. Apparently they were immune to the cold, which made sense, she concluded.

“Well, well. You’ve wandered far from home, Asgardian Princeling,” the one that seemed to be in charge said, advancing on Loki.

“It was a mistake, Laufey. We were just leaving,” he replied, glancing down at Darcy with eyes full of worry.

“And why would I give up such a prize?” the Frost Giant asked. “What would Odin pay for the safe return of his son, and his son’s companion?”

"Let us go, Laufey," Loki said. “You know my father would never bargain with you,”

Laufey gave him a frightening smile. “No, he would not, but perhaps you _would_. Tell me, what is the girl’s life worth to you?” He signaled to his men down at the bottom of the hill with Darcy, and they surrounded her.

“Leave her alone,” Loki said furiously. “I am warning you, Laufey. Do not harm her.”

“Or what?” the Jotunn asked gleefully. “You’ll use your little tricks on me? Come, son of Odin. You are outmatched and outnumbered. Bring the girl to me,” he shouted down to the men surrounding Darcy.

One of them fisted his massive hand in her hood and used it to propel her forward up the hill. Loki watched with a horror struck expression as she was dragged in front of the leader of the Frost Giants and thrown to her knees at his feet. 

“I don’t remember this part being in the travel brochure,” she hissed at Loki, hoping he had some brilliant plan to get them out of this.

“Silence, little girl,” Laufey said, and then his brow furrowed for a moment. He leaned down, inhaled sharply, and then looked at Loki in disbelief. “You brought a Midgardian to Jötunheim?” 

“Ew. Did you just _smell_ me?” Darcy asked. “That’s totally not cool.”

“Darcy, be silent,” Loki ordered.

She glared at him.

Laufey was smiling again in that very creepy way. As Darcy watched, he made a terrifyingly pointy sheath of ice around his hand and pointed it at her throat.

“Shall we start the bargaining?” he inquired, holding the the tip of the ice just over her pulse point. “I believe you already know what I want.”

Loki stared at Darcy on the ground. She could see him trying to think of a way to rescue her, and she could also see the frustration when he couldn't seem to come up with anything.

“The Casket of Ancient Winters,” he finally said with resignation. “You know I cannot do that.”

“Then the mortal dies.” Laufey pressed the sharpened ice against Darcy’s skin, and she squeaked.

“Wait!” Loki shouted sharply, and held both hands out in supplication. “What I meant, is that I cannot get it for you. You know that Æsir are unable to touch it without suffering its effects, but I could tell you how to retrieve it yourself.”

“I am listening,” Laufey said, relaxing his arm slightly.

“There is a secret way into Asgard. I could show your men how to navigate it, and ensure you a time when the casket was not guarded,” Loki offered.

Crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How do I know this is not one of your tricks?”

“It is no trick. I swear it. Now release her.”

“No, I do not think so.” Laufey’s face turned crafty. “I will send two of my men with you to see this secret way into Asgard. If all is as you claim, she will be returned to you. But if I find you have lied to me, the girl’s life is forfeit.” 

“Please don’t be lying to him,” Darcy said. “I can’t die here. I just paid up my Netflix account.”

“Darcy,” Loki said as two of Laufey’s men stepped forward to join him, “I will do this as quickly as I can. Please try not to say or do anything to anger them.”

“Yeah, like I really want to piss off the guy with a sharpened ice-thingy at my throat,” she replied. 

He nodded tersely and began to lead the two Frost Giants back towards the cave.

The wait for Loki to get back felt endless to the girl kneeling in the freezing snow. She decided the best way to follow Loki’s directions of not making anyone angry was to just keep her mouth shut. None of them seemed interested in talking to her anyway. 

Laufey did ask her once what she was doing with Loki, and she had no idea what to say. It seemed like telling him there was a device on Earth that had the ability to let humans travel between realms was a bad idea. So she just said she was Loki’s girlfriend. Darcy figured as far as lies went, it was pretty small. He seemed surprised by this, but didn’t as her any further questions.

Finally Loki returned. There was a quiet, strained conversation between him and Laufey regarding times and dates, and then she was handed over. Loki promptly took her hand and teleported them to the cave, and then swiftly led her back through the passages. 

Darcy had so many thoughts swirling around in her head, she didn’t even know where to begin with her questions. Eventually, she settled on the first one that came to mind.

“Why did he call you princeling?” she asked Loki, as they neared the exit back into Asgard.

Loki glanced at her briefly. “Because I am a prince.”

“Shut up,” she said. “Seriously?”

“Yes. My father is Odin, King of Asgard.”

She was completely floored. “But you’ve been making me sandwiches,” Darcy said stupidly.

His lips twitched. “Do you believe making sandwiches and being royalty to be mutually exclusive?”

“You know that’s not what I meant. You’ve been _waiting_ on me, Loki.”

He shrugged. “You were recovering from serious injuries. I couldn't very well let you wait upon yourself.”

“I’ve been better for a couple of days, and you are still making sandwiches,” she pointed out.

“Fine. From now on I shall let you make them. Is there anything else?”

“Are you kidding me? I nearly got decapitated or whatever back there, and you’re asking if there’s anything else? Yes. Absolutely. What is the Casket of a Million Winters or whatever? And why does that guy want it?”

“The Casket of Ancient Winters,” Loki corrected. “It is a very powerful Jötunn weapon with the ability to freeze anything in its path. My father took it from Laufey when Asgard was at war with Jötunheim.”

“Giving it back to him seems like kind of a bad idea then,” Darcy said.

“I have no intention of returning it to him. Laufey was right to suspect a trick. The date I gave him is the day of Thor’s coronation, and palace will be crawling with guards. Even if Laufey’s men manage to breach the vault where it is kept, they will never take the casket. I will ensure that they do not.”

“Thor’s coronation? Wait. That hammer guy is going to be _king_?”

Loki frowned. “My brother will be ascending to the throne in little over a month’s time, yes.”

“And you are totally not okay with that, are you?” she asked, noting the expression on his face.

“It does not matter what I think. The Allfather has decided he will be king. Despite my reservations, I love my brother, Darcy. I will support his rule.”

“Yeah,” she said perceptively, “but you think you’d better at it. From what I saw of him, I think you might be better at it too.”

Loki shook his head. “What you are suggesting is treason. Thor will take the throne, and I will try to advise him as best I can.”

“Aren’t both of you a little young to rule Asgard? I mean, what are you? Twenty? Twenty-one?”

His mouth curled up into a smile. “The Æsir are very long-lived. I am over a thousand.”

Darcy abruptly stopped walking and gawked at him. “Nope.”

Stopping as well, he turned to face her, forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What?”

“There is no way you are a thousand years old,” she replied.

“You do realize that every single time you have decided something could not be true since you arrived here, you have been proven wrong,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, but I’m looking at you right now, and you look my age. You even _act_ my age.”

“Do I?” he asked. “Well, I suppose for my people, I am considered rather young.”

If she thought her mind was struggling to keep up before, now it was positively reeling. He was ungodly sexy for an old guy. Or would that be _godly_ sexy, considering who he was? The whole thing was too confusing. And, oh God, she’d climbed on top of him.

Darcy closed her eyes in embarrassment. He was probably laughing at her the whole time. A prince who has lived over a thousand years has been around the block a few times. Loki was totally not going to be impressed with her mortal attempts at flirting.

Besides, none of it mattered. She was going home. It wasn’t like he was going to risk his life to come visit a boring Midgardian girl, or anything. Which reminded her...

“So, does this mean the passageway back to Earth from Jötunheim isn’t doable anymore?” she asked, kicking a pebble out of her way, and watching it rattle down the remaining length of cavern before bouncing out into the sunshine.

Loki nodded. “It would be far too hazardous to attempt it again. Laufey is aware of this route between Jötunheim and Asgard now. He is certain to station guards around it.”

“What does that mean for me going home? Am I stuck here a little longer?” Darcy tried not to examine the part of her that was way too happy over that prospect. 

“I’m sorry, Darcy. I know how much you wanted to return to Midgard, but I am afraid I will have to begin searching for another way,” he said, sounding both frustrated and apologetic. 

“No, it’s cool,” she replied quickly. “Spending time with you isn’t that bad.”

His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “No?”

Darcy rolled her eyes and bumped him with her hip. “Don’t look so happy about it, dork. I’m only in it for the free wardrobe and sandwiches.”

“I already told you that you are making the sandwiches from now on," Loki teased. "I _am_ royalty, remember. Your kind used to worship me as a god. Perhaps I could reinstate my rule over you.”

“Whatever, your Majestic Deity-ness. Like anyone is ever going to rule over me. I only get on my knees for one reason, and that’s…” She slammed her mouth shut before the completely inappropriate word vomit could escape. “Nevermind.”

Unfortunately, she now had his full attention. He stopped in the mouth of the cave, green eyes positively sparkling with mischief. “Never mind what?”

“Nevermind nothing,” she retorted, wishing her voice didn't sound like she was totally hiding something. "It's not important."

“Oh no,” he said, placing one palm flat on the rock wall behind her and effectively blocking her way forward with his body. “I want to know what circumstance could possibly induce Darcy Lewis to kneel.”

“You know, with that helmet on, you are probably over seven feet tall. Is it as heavy as it looks?” she asked, in a very blatant attempt to change the subject. Jesus, he was hot. And really, really close. And he smelled good. _Stop noticing how good he smells_ , she told herself. 

“I am waiting for my answer,” he said, smirking.

“Well you’re going to keep waiting then,” she informed him primly. “Shouldn’t we be getting back to the house?”

Loki just cocked an eyebrow at her and held out his free hand.

“You know,” she said, taking his hand, “you put on a pretty convincing sweet, innocent prince act, but I think underneath it, you are totally trouble.”

“And I think that you like the fact that I might be trouble, mortal,” he countered, drawing her close in preparation to teleport. “Whether you wish to admit it, or not.”

She tilted her head back to look up at him, wondering if he could feel her heart thudding through her layers and his armor. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”

He chuckled. “If you say so.” Then Loki leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Brace yourself, Darcy,” and the world disappeared.


	7. Best parental interference ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy has an important visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Frigga. Love her. I'd push Odin off the Bifrost if it meant she'd rule Asgard.
> 
> **********************************************************

In the days following the run-in with the Frost Giants, Darcy found herself developing a serious thing for Loki. She tried not to. She told herself it was a really bad idea for tons of totally logical reasons, not the least of which was the part where she was going to be leaving soon. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the practically irresistible urge to leap on him every damn time they were in the same room.

It certainly didn’t help that he seemed to be fully aware of this fact, and that he was constantly saying things that she had no idea how to interpret. Sometimes she was positive he was flirting with her, but all his teasing was coupled with a large side dish of amusement. Darcy had a feeling that if she looked up the word ‘enigmatic’ in an Asgardian dictionary, there would be a picture of Loki right next to it instead of a definition. 

It was frustrating as fuck, actually. Not that trying to take things to the next level would be any better. She wasn’t sure what the repercussions of getting busy with a god would be. Although, she imagined being rejected by one might be worse. Plus there was a real danger of getting emotionally attached, and _that_ was a whole other issue in and of itself.

He’d saved her life twice now, taken care of her after the bilge snipe attack, and, aside from keeping her trapped in the house, had been an all around decent host. Darcy was sure he probably had way more interesting people to hang out with back at his family’s palace or whatever. Yet he spent an awful lot of time with her in the hunting lodge. All that had made it really hard for her to keep her feelings for him in check.

She liked him. _Liked_ him, liked him. And that scared her. Falling for an immortal space-prince with magical powers seemed like a totally bad idea. Especially since that immortal space-prince seemed like he might be hiding a very sexy bad boy just beneath his very sexy good boy exterior.

There was also the whole thing with his title. Darcy wasn’t totally familiar with how gods got their titles, but she was pretty sure you didn’t earn the title of God of Mischief without getting into a reasonably large amount of trouble. He’d had a thousand years to get into that trouble, and she didn’t even have her Political Science degree yet. 

Yep. Hooking up with Loki was an all around bad idea. It would have been so totally helpful if knowing that made her not want to hook up with him. Which it didn’t.

The God of Mischief in question was at the palace at the moment. Darcy assumed he was busy doing prince stuff. He’d been leaving more and more often during the day. Apparently there was a whole lot to do for his brother’s coronation, and he was also checking some of the older manuscripts for possible clues on other secret passages into Midgard. 

Darcy was debating on making herself a snack, when she heard what sounded like approaching horses. She looked out of her window to see Loki coming into the yard alongside a regal looking woman on a white horse. He slid down off his own mount, and strode over to assist the woman off of her own horse. 

They seemed to be chatting easily as he led both their horses into the stable. Loki appeared completely relaxed. Darcy had no idea what to think. After all his talk of secrecy, now he was purposefully bringing someone here. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to stay upstairs or what.

This was decided for her a few minutes later when Loki and their visitor entered the house. She heard their voices for a moment, and then he came bounding up the stairs. Darcy poked her head out of her room to see him smiling broadly at her. 

“Will you come downstairs with me?” he asked. “I have someone I would like you to meet.”

“I noticed,” she replied. “Who is it?”

Loki just took her hand. “Come and see.” Then he stopped and looked at her. “Hm, just a moment.” He waved his hand and changed her clothes into a long gown in shades of blue.

Darcy glanced down at her new dress. “You’re making me nervous. How important is this person?”

He began walking backwards towards the stairs, pulling her along after him. “Very. So let’s not keep her waiting.”

“Well that totally calmed my nerves. Thanks,” she grumbled, and he chuckled.

“Darcy, you have nothing to fear from our guest. I trust her with my life, and yours,” Loki added.

They were nearly at the bottom of the steps at this point, and Darcy got her first clear look at the woman Loki had brought back with him. She was tall, and dressed in a flowing gold gown in a style similar to Darcy’s own, with jewels sewn onto the wide band around the neckline. Her hair was a thick auburn color, and swept up on the sides, but spilling down her shoulders in the back. 

She looked super-fancy, and definitely older than Loki. Darcy began to suspect who she might be. That made her even more nervous. Especially when her suspicions were confirmed seconds later.

Loki gestured towards the woman deferentially. “May I introduce my mother, Queen Frigga of Asgard. Mother, this is Darcy Lewis.”

“Hello, my dear,” Frigga said, extending her hand. “Loki has told me so much about you. I feel as if I already know you. Did you really throw a pastry at a bilge snipe?”

Darcy took Frigga’s hand and the woman gave it a warm squeeze before releasing it. “I can't really take credit for the donut thing," she told Frigga. "The truth is that I had no idea what else to do because I couldn’t find my taser, and I was kind of defenseless without it. Also, I’m totally sorry but I’m really not sure what to call you. I’ve never met any actual royalty. Well, other than Loki, and he didn’t even tell me he was a prince until two weeks after I met him. Oh God, I’m babbling. Loki, I’m babbling at your mother. Help!”

Frigga gave a gentle laugh. “She is just as you described her, my son. How refreshing.”

“I can’t believe you were talking to your _mom_ about me,” Darcy whispered to him under her breath. 

“My youngest has a terrible tendency to tell his mother everything,” Frigga replied, gazing fondly at Loki. 

“Not everything,” Loki corrected. 

“No,” she agreed, “but most of the pertinent things.” Loki’s mother reached up and touched his cheek briefly before turning back to Darcy. “You may call me Frigga. And may I call you Darcy?”

“What would you do if I said no?” Darcy asked, and Frigga laughed again.

“I already like her,” she said to Loki. “She reminds me of another young person with a penchant for asking impertinent questions out of curiosity. Come, Darcy, let us sit. I will send my son off to find us something to drink.”

And that is how Darcy ended up sitting across from Loki’s mother, discussing her entire life up until that point. She had to admit it, Frigga was a master at getting thing out of people. By the time Loki returned with something for them to eat and drink, his mom had the entire situation of getting Darcy home well in hand. 

“I do see why your father knowing she is here would be dangerous. She certainly does not pose a threat, but he may not see it that way. We must continue to endeavor to keep the facts surrounding Darcy's presence on Asgard from him,” Frigga surmised. “I do not like the bargain you made with Laufey, though, trick or not.”

“Neither do I,” Loki told her, “but there was nothing else to be done.”

“This is true,” Frigga said. “You could not allow the girl to be harmed, which brings me to another point, Loki. Darcy feels defenseless without her Midgardian weapon. She has been spending a great deal of time alone lately. I believe you ought to arm her.”

“Um, what?” Darcy asked. “Arm me how?”

Loki’s mother sat back contemplatively. “What would be easiest to teach her in a short time?” she asked Loki. “I would suggest daggers, as they can be used from a distance, but unless she shows promise with throwing them, they may not prove very useful. A short sword, perhaps?”

Loki looked even more shocked than Darcy. “You wish me to teach her how to defend herself with an Asgardian weapon?”

“I could do it if you believe yourself incapable,” Frigga suggested slyly. She looked at Darcy. “I am quite handy with a sword myself, as I am sure my son could tell you.”

“Of course I am not incapable, Mother," Loki scoffed, "but she has me to defend her.”

“And when you are at the palace, Loki? What then?” Frigga inquired. “Our only other option is for you to allow me to disguise her as one of my ladies, and to bring her back to the palace with us. Unfortunately, It would take a great deal of magic to hold a glamour on her day and night, and she has already been seen by Thor and Fandral. Thor may be able to hold his tongue if he recognizes her, but Fandral?” She shook her head. “Better to keep her here and arm her.”

He sighed. “I can teach her some basic abilities with a sword, but I cannot guarantee that she will not kill herself with one. You have not seen her slice bread, and I have.”

“Hi,” Darcy raised her hand. “Do I get a say? Because I totally want a sword. And that bread thing was not my fault. You turned the knife into a snake.” She glared at Loki.

Loki’s lips twitched. “That was unintentional.”

“Loki, you did it twice. It was totally intentional,” she retorted. “And for the record, I still managed to make a sandwich. Personally, I think I deserve some sort of Michelin star for that.”

“They award celestial bodies for mangling entire loaves of bread on Midgard? How quaint,” he teased.

“Snake-knife, Loki. Snake. Knife. And it’s not actual stars, it’s a restaurant rating. Which you would know if you had bothered to visit Earth since like...five hundred AD.” Darcy rolled her eyes at him.

Frigga remained silent, just watching the interaction between her son and his house guest with great interest. Loki waved his fingers almost imperceptibly at Darcy, and smirked.

“Let me guess,” Darcy asked Frigga. “He just put a snake on the back of the chair.” She shook her head, then turned around, grabbed the snake, and set it down on the floor. “Shoo. Go back to your daddy.”

“You handle his tricks well,” his mother said.

“I don’t have much of a choice,” Darcy replied. “Most of the time he’s nice, though. Have you ever seen him do the thing where he can make flowers grow from a seed in his hand? He did that for me yesterday.”

“I taught him that,” Frigga said with a smile. “It was one of the first things he ever learned.”

“You do magic too?” Darcy asked. “That’s awesome. Loki, your mom is totally cool.”

“She means that as a high compliment,” Loki told his mother. 

“Then I will accept it as such,” Frigga replied. “I believe I should be taking my leave of you. Your father will be wondering where I have disappeared to, if I stay much longer.”

“May I see you home, Mother?” Loki asked, immediately standing up and offering her his arm.

“Thank you, my love, I would like that. As long as your guest does not object?” She looked expectantly at Darcy.

“Nope. I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Well then, it is decided. Will you permit me to visit you again, Darcy Lewis? I find your company to be quite diverting.” 

“Are you kidding?” Darcy said. “You just talked him into letting me use a sword. Right now you’re my favorite person ever.”

Frigga beamed at her. “I shall call on you soon then.”

“Should I curtsy?” Darcy asked, not exactly sure what the protocol was.

“No,” Frigga said, and then hugged her. “Goodbye, Darcy. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you. And do not worry. The moment I arrive home, I shall send my son back to you.”

“Keep him as long as you want,” Darcy replied. “I could do without the reptiles for a little while.”

Frigga was still laughing as she and Loki closed the door behind them.


	8. A mother always knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga weaves a few more threads into her plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!!! :D I know some of you are really waiting for things to um...heat up. And I promise they will, but we've got some plot that needs to happen first. Plot. Totally important at this juncture. (Plus I assure you, once sexytimes happen, there will be a plethora of bow chicka bow bow, there always is.)
> 
> Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews and kudos!!! I cannot tell you how much I love reading what you all think. Or how much it inspires and encourages me to write. You are all amazing. 
> 
> Also, MoL wrote me a story!!! SHE DID!!! So did Hanna, and hers is for Add It Up. I can't recall if I posted a link to that one or not in the other story. So, here's what I'm gonna do. I'll post links for both in the bottom note. Wheeeee!!! Thank you so much, you guys. I never had gift stories before. It's the best ever. And holy cats, MoL, that story is HOT.
> 
> *******************************************************

On the way back to the palace, Frigga kept a keen eye on her son. It had been clear from the short interview with Darcy Lewis that the girl cared for him. To what extent, Frigga was not sure, but more importantly, Loki showed interest in the Midgardian which went far beyond just concern for her well-being and getting her home.

The pair also seemed to be trying to hide their feelings, which Frigga found both charming and frustrating. Loki was so unlike Thor, who readily formed relationships and took lovers. Her youngest spent far too much time on his own, or, and she suspected this was worse, trying desperately to fit into the bright, bawdy circle that surrounded her eldest. The brothers were close, but so very different. She worried for Loki. Standing always in the shadow of Thor could not be easy.

“You intend to have her home before the coronation?” Frigga asked her son, clucking her horse onward.

He nodded. “It would be safer for her to be on Midgard if we are expecting an attack from Jötunheim.”

“Will you visit her there?” She attempted to keep her tone light.

Loki glanced over at her. “Why do I feel as if your interest in Darcy has ulterior motives?”

“And why do I feel as if yours does?” she posed to him with a knowing smile

“Mother, I have known the girl less than a month. I assure you, I am only concerned with her welfare.” 

He shifted irritably on his horse and frowned. It was obvious that she had touched a nerve. Good. Loki was brilliant, but so very often he seemed not to see his own feelings clearly for what they were. 

“You must be quite concerned with her welfare to have been spending nearly all your time since she arrived in Asgard with her.”

“Are you attempting to make a match for me with a mortal?” he asked outright. 

Frigga turned to look at her son. “I said nothing of making a match, you did. Although, tell me, Loki, when you look at her, is mortal the first of her qualities which comes to mind?”

He made a sound of amusement. “Which of her qualities I notice first strongly depends on whether her mouth is open or not.”

She laughed. “True. Darcy has a ready wit. Much like yourself.” Frigga watched him from the corner of her eye as she spoke. “She also appears to be quite intelligent. Did you know she is enrolled in a university in Midgard?”

“Of course I know that. She has a complete inability to remain silent. There is very little of her life I do not know at this point.”

Frigga chose not to point out that no one was forcing him to listen to Darcy. She knew Loki. If he wasn’t interested in what the girl had to say, he would have avoided speaking with her. And then there was the matter of him protecting her from Odin. 

Loki had come to her ostensibly to enlist help in finding an alternate route to Midgard. It had taken her the work of several minutes, and a bit of motherly persuasion, to determine why. He told her he had found and healed a stray Midgardian, and wished to return the mortal without them having to endure questioning at the hands of his father.

It had taken her several more minutes of gentle prodding before she discovered the Midgardian was a girl. That was certainly telling. Once he had revealed that much, it took very little effort on Frigga’s part to get him to reveal the rest.

He was especially bothered by the fact that if the Allfather returned her to Midgard, he would wipe clean her memories of Asgard. It was very curious that Loki did not want Darcy’s memories of Asgard removed. Memories that contained him. Frigga smiled to herself.

Her son liked the girl. His protestations of that fact only served to make it more apparent. Moreover, Frigga herself felt something in Darcy’s being there that went beyond a simple accident of chance. She would need to tread carefully here. Something was afoot that she did not fully understand yet.

She decided to switch the topic to something less intrusive. “Will you really teach her to defend herself?”

“I have little choice now,” Loki replied, expression rueful. “I doubt she will give me any peace until I do.”

“It will be good for her to feel that she can protect herself,” Frigga said. “And I believe you will prove yourself to be an adept teacher.”

“Mother, having me give lessons in the art of using a sword would be like having Thor give lessons in embroidery, and you knew that when you offered me up to instruct her,” he said dryly.

Frigga smiled at his comparison. “I think you underestimate your abilities. As I recall, you have great finesse with a sword.”

“Yes. That is precisely why I prefer to use daggers and magic , because I am so very talented with other weapons.” Loki snorted. “Just who shall be locating a way home for Darcy while I am busy with her on the practice field?”

“I will, of course,” Frigga informed him. “Unless you doubt my proficiency at locating magical passageways between realms. As I recall, it was your mother who showed you the one into Vanaheim.”

“What is it about your offer of help that makes me sense you are planning something,” he asked, looking askance at her.

“Because, my darling boy, you know that your mother is an inveterate meddler.” Frigga drew her horse close alongside his, and looked lovingly up into his face. “But I believe you also know that my tendency to meddle is only ever with your best interests at heart.”

Loki shook his head, smiling affectionately at her. “I do, and that is the only reason why I tolerate it so well. In this case though, I fear your efforts will all be for naught. My only interest in Darcy Lewis is to see her safely home.”

“Well then, your gallantry towards her is to be commended. She was fortunate indeed that it was you who stumbled upon her in the woods, and not someone more like Fandral, or even Thor. Can you imagine? An attractive girl like that, alone and helpless with someone less...consumed with her safety?” Frigga speculated innocently. 

Her son didn’t answer, but his face darkened considerably. She considered her small attempt at baiting him a great success.

“At any rate, it was you who found her, and now we must find her safe passage back to Midgard. I must say, it is quite exciting to be involved in something so clandestine. Thank you for letting me be a part of it,” she said sweetly, as they walked their horses into the palace bailey.

A waiting groom assisted her down from her mount, and Frigga handed him the reins. 

“Shall I accompany you to the dining hall?” Loki inquired. “They should be serving the midday meal shortly.”

“No,” she replied, reaching up to give his shoulder a squeeze. “I find that I am quite tired. I believe I would rather have a tray sent to my room so I can rest. Would you ask to have one sent up for me?”

“Of course, Mother. I shall it attended to at once.”

“Thank you, my love,” she said, starting up the steps into the palace. “And do give our little friend my regards when you next see her.”

Frigga wouldn’t go so far as call Loki’s reply a grunt exactly, but it was close. She chose to ignore it. He could fight it all he wanted, but she had nearly three weeks to work with. Much could be done in that time. What she needed to do next was determine how strongly the two may come to feel about each other. That could be achieved easily enough from her own chambers.

She swept into her room, shooed out all her ladies, and crossed over to the large, round fireplace in the center. Then she slid open a secret compartment concealed behind one of the stone tiles, and pulled out a small leather bag full of glittering powder. Frigga threw a handful of the powder into the flames, and watched as images began to flicker into existence.

What she had intended, was to see a few weeks into the future, only to determine whether the spark she had seen between her son and the Midgardian would grow into something stronger. Magic, however, is not always an exact science. The scene playing out before her in the flames was far more powerful and disturbing than she had expected.

There was Loki, lying injured and defenseless on the Bifröst, with Thor looming over him, Mjölnir in hand. Between the two brothers stood Darcy Lewis, sword upraised, facing down Thor with all the fury of a Valkyrie.

Frigga had no idea what may have brought about such a battle between her children, but it was evident that the mortal girl was protecting Loki with her life. 

She could not allow Darcy to go home. Not now. Frigga paced the length of her chambers, spinning and weaving plots like a tapestry, each thread tied inextricably to Loki’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the story MoL (MistressofLoki) wrote for me: [On the Beach](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2285286)
> 
> And here is the one Hannatude wrote: [That One Time Jim Moriarty Planned A Baby Shower](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2221980/chapters/4873878)
> 
> Both of these stories are flippin' awesome. I am serious. These two authors are damn fine writers. If you haven't read them yet, you absolutely should. Just make sure you are not drinking anything while reading Hanna's because you run the risk of doing a spit-take. 
> 
> You will need ice and a fan for MoL's. No really. You will. And also, sip a drink at your own risk. I can't say why, just trust me.


	9. Damn that pheasant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody finally gets her self-defense lessons from a certain God of Mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a few days in coming. My poor little guy has a bronchial infection, and getting him better is my top priority at the moment. :) There is a link to the armor I described for Darcy in the bottom notes.
> 
> *************************************************************

“So…” Darcy said, watching Loki quizzically as she stood with her back to the mirror in her room. “You planning on telling me what this is all about, or am I just supposed to guess?”

He didn’t answer, just walked around her in a tight circle, head cocked slightly to one side as he gazed thoughtfully at her. After a brief pause where she swore he was taking a mental measurement of her bust, he gave a quick flick of his hand. She felt the usual tingling sensation around her body, like the air was full of glitter and unicorns or whatever magic was made of, that always preceded Loki conjuring up something for her to wear.

She’d gotten so used to him making her clothes at this point, that she didn’t even bat an eye when he did it. Although, whatever he’d made for her this time was seriously different. She started to look down at herself and he immediately caught her chin in his hand.

“Stop that,” Loki ordered. “I'm not finished yet, and you will ruin the surprise.”

She made a face. “Hurry up. I want to see.”

A few more seconds passed where she could feel more mysterious _somethings_ shimmering into place on her body while he watched with a critical eye, and made what felt like a few changes.

Finally Loki stood back and nodded. “Done,” he said in a satisfied tone. “You may look.”

Darcy spun around to face the mirror and gasped. “You made me _armor_??? Oh my God, I look totally badass! Does this mean you’re finally going to start teaching me how to fight?” She'd only been bugging him about it non-stop for the past week.

"I thought perhaps this afternoon would be a good time to start your lessons, yes," he told her. "But do not expect too much the first day. We will really only be going over the basics." 

She did an exuberant little dance in front of the mirror before she could catch herself, and he started to chuckle. 

“If I had known making you armor would give rise to such displays, I might have considered doing it sooner,” he said.

“Listen buddy, don’t mock my happy dance,” Darcy retorted, turning from side to side to get a better view in the mirror. “I’m sure you were a little excited the first time you got armor. Of course, you were probably like ten, but still. This is _so_ happy dance worthy.”

The bronze colored armor was strapped over an emerald-colored, leather and fabric tunic that hit just above her knees. It consisted of a breastplate that had a high collar, with plates that went over her shoulders, and jointed bands over her upper arms. There was a large keyhole opening before the part that covered her chest. Three wide bands worked down her torso from a point at the center just under breasts, and three more wound around her hips from another point over her pelvis. Small green stones studded two of the bands, and were embedded in the apex of the breastplate.

That wasn’t all, though. Long, bronze and leather vambraces covered her arms from wrist to her elbow. They had matching green stones down near the cuffs. The finishing touch was a pair of soft leather boots with greaves strapped over them, that had same patterns on them as her breastplate. 

Darcy gave turned to give him a giant, ecstatic smile. “Loki, this is seriously awesome. For real. Is this all your design or did you like, pilfer it from the Asgard armory?”

“Mine, of course. Truly, your lack of faith in my abilities after all you have seen is mystifying,” he said, approaching her and raising his hands to about the height of her head. A circlet-style helm with small wings set on either side appeared between his fingers. He settled the helm on her head, adjusting it until he had it just how he wanted it. “There. Now you look like a proper shield maiden. Well...you would if you weren’t so diminutive.”

She eyed the addition critically. It was pretty, but… “Nope. Horns,” she stated firmly, meeting his gaze in the mirror.

Loki blinked. “What?” 

“You know, horns. On the helmet thing?” She raised both hands and indicated something pointy and sharp rising from up from her forehead. “The feathers are very cute and all, but I’d prefer something with a bit more sass and don’t-fuck-with-me-osity. Besides, you have horns. I want horns.”

He seemed a little stunned by her response, or at least that’s what she assumed his expression meant. It was sometimes hard to tell with Loki. “You want horns like mine? On your helm?”

“Yep.”

He continued to stare at her like she’d done something incredibly surprising. “You’re right. The wings don’t suit you.”

“Really?” Darcy asked, delighted. “I get horns?”

“Really,” he replied. 

Darcy watched in the mirror as Loki brought both hands up to her temples and slowly drew them over the helm. The wings disappeared, and wickedly sharp, curling horns grew up in the front. 

They were identical to his except in size, but she was fine with that because they were still totally intimidating, and she wasn’t sure if she could have managed anything larger. All in all, the whole ensemble was more awesome than Christmas, her birthday, and a trip to Hawaii all rolled into one. She felt like a warrior goddess. 

Darcy could only chalk her impulsive reaction up to her extreme excitement, because the next thing she knew, she’d thrown her arms around Loki in a massive hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she chanted happily, stretching up on her tiptoes and pressing full-length against him.

Loki froze. Darcy wasn’t sure if he was upset, or offended, or what. Clearly hugging him had been a total mistake. She half-expected him to push her away. 

Instead, he took one look at her panicked expression, and started to laugh. 

He also put his arms around her, which was currently causing a serious butterfly infestation in her stomach.

“Darcy Lewis,” he said, composing his features but still smiling that brilliant smile at her, “you are most wonderfully unpredictable person I have ever met.”

For the record, he _still_ had his arms around her. He didn’t seem aware of that fact, but she sure was. 

It was actually getting a bit...awkward. There was all this eye-contact, and touching, but it wasn't exactly going anywhere. Just as she was trying to figure out how to interpret what was going on, he abruptly dropped his arms and stepped back.

“I’d intended to give you shield as well,” he said by way of explanation. “Unless you object?”

She figured the important thing here was not to be weird about whatever had just happened. Because it was really nice, and she wanted more of it.

“Nuh-uh, no objections. Shield me, baby.” Darcy held her arm out to him, and watched in delight as a small metal shield appeared, leather straps winding over her arm.

Loki lifted her arm and moved it about, studying how shield moved, then reached around and tightened the straps until it was more stable. After that, he strode around behind her and carefully adjusted a few of the buckles on her armor. 

She could see him reflected in the mirror, head bent to his task, and expression full of concentration. Darcy couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have him unbuckling all it instead. Once the thought was out there, her mind started to go wild with it. She looked away and swallowed hard, only to find his eyes fixed on her when she glanced back in the mirror. 

There were a few beats where they just stared at each other in silence. Call her crazy, but it seemed like he was breathing kind of fast for someone who had just been fixing a couple of buckles.

“Do I want to know what you’re thinking about right now?” Loki finally asked.

“Nope,” Darcy replied quickly. “Do I want to know what _you’re_ thinking about right now?” 

There was split second where he looked completely disconcerted, before he managed to marshal his features back into something more unreadable. “I was trying to decide which type of weapon would best suit you,” he replied smoothly. 

She had the distinct impression that his answer was total bullshit, but chose to let it go. “Have you decided?”.

“Yes,” he said and plucked a smallish sword out of thin air before handing it to her pommel first.

Darcy took it, completely excited. She wrapped her fingers around the handle, and then made an experimental slice through the air. 

Loki’s lips twitched in amusement. “You are going to put an eye out if you continue holding it like that.”

“I’m holding it wrong?” She looked down at the sword in her hand in confusion, and then held it out to him. “Show me.”

“You’re holding it as if it were a club, this is a much more sophisticated weapon, it requires a certain acumen,” he replied, coaxing her fingers into the proper formation on the handle. 

Darcy hoped he didn’t notice how her heart was starting to pound. How did he do this to her? Thank God he didn’t seem to have super-hearing to go along with all his other wizardly powers. That last thing she needed was for him to realize the way he made her body come all unglued whenever he invaded her personal space.

Once he had her grip the way he wanted it, he stepped back again and nodded. “Now, lift it up so your hand is slightly higher than your shoulder.”

She did and waited for his next instruction.

“Good. Bring it down slowly. Accustom yourself to the weight of it. Think of it not as a weapon in your hand, but as an extension of your arm.” Loki frowned as she clumsily swung the blade and knocked a stack of books off his desk. 

“We are going to need more room for this,” he muttered. 

Without another word, he took her wrist in his hand, and they blinked out of existence.

************************************************************************************

They reappeared in a grassy meadow surrounded by forest on three sides and a small river on the fourth. Darcy stumbled a few steps forward and he caught her around the waist, righting her.

“Where are we?” she asked. “It’s really pretty.”

He shrugged. “Vanaheim. I can teleport through the passageway between their realm and ours because the two are so close. It seemed prudent to give you a larger space to work with, and the chance of discovery was too high in Asgard.”

“Oh. Well I like it. So,” Darcy bounced around like a boxer with her sword. “When do we get started? I’m totally ready.”

What followed was about a three hour long crash course in all things swordy. Loki spent an inordinate amount of time standing behind her with his arm aligned against hers, and her wrist in his hand, just helping her get her swing right. Darcy found that to be profoundly distracting. 

“Lean forward, Darcy. Forward. Like this,” he ordered for the millionth time. Loki reached around to lay a palm flat on her stomach as he pressed his chest tightly to her back, forcing her body into a slight crouch. 

Her skin was zinging all over where he was touching her, and she struggled to put a little bit of space between them as she adjusted her stance. 

“Stop pulling away from me,” he snapped, clearly annoyed, and yanked her back, hard. “I cannot instruct you if you keep fighting me.”

God, he was so frustrating. Darcy had been trying to follow his stupid instructions, but it was damned difficult to do that when she kept having this irrational need to grind back against him. 

“That’s it,” she declared, pulling away from him and turning around. “I’m issuing a challenge” 

Loki rolled his eyes. “Darcy, are you mad? You’ve had a few hours of instruction in a field, most of which you spent complaining about the heat, and arguing with me regarding my technique. I have had centuries of training. What could this possibly end in, but your ignominious defeat?”

He had a point, but she felt like her honor was being insulted. Nobody insulted her honor, dammit. She lifted her hand and curled her fingers in a come-hither motion at him. 

“What’s the matter, Princess,” Darcy taunted, “afraid of a teeny, tiny Midgardian girl?”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “Are you certain you want this? I have a feeling you have no idea what you are asking for, mortal.”

“Yes, God of Mischief, I’m certain. Stop looking at me like that. I’m a fucking warrior goddess and you need to respect the armor.”

“A warrior goddess?” If anything, he looked more amused than ever.

“Yes,” she replied firmly. “I am.”

“I see. Well then, warrior goddess, let’s see what you can do.” He began to shimmer all over, and Darcy had the distinct impression of hot pavement on a summer day. 

While she watched, his outfit changed from his normal everyday Loki attire to full armor complete with the horned helmet. Then a sword appeared in his hand, and he did this elegant move with it where he twirled it in his fingers before leveling it at her.

All of sudden Darcy realized how very in over her head she was. “Maybe we should just go back to the lessons,”she said, dropping her arm so the point of her sword hit the ground.

His face twitched briefly. “Oh no. You wanted this. Raise your weapon, mortal.”

She took a step back. Well, if she were being honest, several steps. “I surrender?” she asked hopefully, trying to stave off her impending death by humiliation.

“Darcy. Raise. Your. Weapon.”

Oookay then. Apparently she wasn't going to be talking her way out of this one. She lifted her sword and dropped into the forward crouch that he had taught her. Then she waited.

Nothing happened. He just stood there sizing her up in a very ominous manner.

She waited a bit more. Why wasn’t he _doing_ anything? Her palms started sweating, causing her grip on the sword to shift. 

That’s when Loki finally decided to attack, and Darcy was totally unprepared for it. He shot towards her, a blur of gold and green, and she barely got her arm up in time to block his weapon. It slammed against the metal of her shield with a stinging crash that reverberated down her entire arm and made her fingers go numb. 

Loki feinted to the left and she spun after him, swinging blindly. He easily evaded her, and struck back with a glancing blow to her vambrace that caused her sword to tumble out of her nerveless fingers. She cried out and bent to pick it back up, but he administered a sweeping kick across the back of her legs that dropped her to her knees. 

“Did you seriously just school-boy me?” she asked, feeling the telltale chill of a the sword's point at the back of her neck. “That’s dirty pool, dude.”

He stalked around to the front of her, sword traveling around her neck to come to a stop just below her chin as she knelt on the ground before him. “Do you concede, Darcy?”

Hell no. NO. He might have her on her knees, but she was not about to concede. Screw him. Darcy thought fast. Before she could talk herself out of what might be the worst possible idea she’d ever had, she whipped her head to the side and shouted, “Holy shit! What’s that?”

He twisted around to see what she was looking at, and it gave her just enough time to grab her sword off the ground and get it leveled at his crotch before he turned his attention back to her. 

“If that was some feeble attempt at distracting me, then consider yourself…” Loki trailed off, eyes widening in shock as he realized her sword was a hairsbreadth away from his boys.

His eyes flicked back and forth from her weapon to her face. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then just closed it again.

“So,” she said, trying very hard to look nonchalant, “it would seem we are at an impasse.”

“It would,” Loki replied, and she could swear there was admiration in his eyes as he gazed down at her. “I clearly underestimated your abilities.”

She grinned up at him. “Did I just outsmart the God of Mischief?”

A reluctant smile bloomed across his face. “Do you really expect me to admit to that?”

Darcy shook her head, still grinning madly. “Nope.”

“Exasperating girl,” he said, but it was clear he was teasing. “Stand up, Darcy.” All his battle gear disappeared, and he held out his hand to her.

Darcy set her sword down and took his proffered hand, wincing as his fingers closed over hers. 

“Thanks,” she said as he tugged her to her feet.

He looked at her in concern. “Are you hurt?”

“Just my hands,” she said. “They sting like a bitch, and my fingertips are numb.”

Her breath caught in her throat as Loki gently turned her hand over in his and began massaging her palm with his thumb. “I am sorry for that. My intent was to teach you a lesson about provoking a fight, not to injure you. If it is any consolation, I know just how it feels. My father was a brutal instructor on the practice field.”

“Your dad hit you like _that_?” Darcy asked incredulously. “What kind of parent does that?”

“The kind who is the King of Asgard first and foremost. Nearly everything my father does contains a lesson somewhere. It is just his way.”

“Yeah well, my dad taught me how to ride a bike, and he didn’t tip me over onto the pavement just to teach me not to crash,” she responded. 

Loki paused a moment to look at her. “And did you crash?”

“Of course,” she said. “I think all kids do at least once, usually more than that.”

“What did your father do?” he inquired.

Darcy smiled at the memory. “Well, first he told me to stop kicking the bike and blaming it for hitting the mailbox. Then he helped me walk it home, and got me ice cream and band-aids. There’s really not much ice-cream and band-aids can’t fix.”

Loki smiled, and switched to her other hand. "I will have to remember that the next time I find an injured Midgardian," he said, while his thumb rubbed small circles on her palm. 

As his focus was elsewhere, she took the opportunity to appreciate his face from close up. He was all flawless skin, and perfect cheekbones, and probably the nicest eyes she'd ever seen in her life. Darcy totally blamed the rampant hand porn currently screwing with her synapses for what she said next. “Has anyone ever told you that you have some seriously beautiful eyes? They're kinda mesmerizing.” 

Loki’s fingers stuttered where they’d been kneading feeling back into her wrist, and the luminous green orbs in question met hers with a look that made her chest hitch. 

“Most Asgardians prefer blue,” he said quietly.

In her opinion most Asgardians were idiots.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not Asgardian,” she replied.

“No,” he said, breaking eye-contact to slowly peruse the length of her body, “you are not.”

Loki still had her hand in his, and his roving gaze was now fixated on her mouth. Darcy could literally taste the electricity between them as he started to lean in. It felt like the entire surface of her skin was alive and sparking with anticipation. His lips were just a whisper away from hers when a pheasant darted up out of the tall grass nearby, and took off into the air with a noisy cry.

The moment was completely ruined. Loki dropped her hand and took a step back, face apologetic. Noooooo! If she ever caught that marauding bird, she was going to roast it and eat it. 

“I should be getting you back,” he said. “You have only just recovered from your injuries, and it was a strenuous practice session.”

Shit, shit, shit. He was going straight back to polite, hard to read Loki again. Unfortunately she couldn’t think of a single thing that she could say to fix it. So, she just mutely held her hand out to him, and waited to be beamed back to the cottage.

He ignored it in favor of her gripping her just above the elbow, and within moments, her bedroom appeared around her. This time she was better prepared for the abrupt arrival and managed to keep her footing. More or less, anyway. Loki barely spared her a glance, switching her back into her regular clothes with a negligent wave of his hand.

“Are you hungry, Darcy? I thought perhaps we should eat,” he said, still avoiding her eyes.

“Yeah, I’ll have pheasant under glass,” she muttered under her breath, and then added in her regular voice, “Um no. I’m good. You go ahead. I think maybe I'll just go to sleep. You were right about the practice. I'm completely worn out.”

He nodded once, and walked out of room, leaving her alone with her disappointment.

***************************************************************************

Loki was pacing back and forth in his bedroom, trying to force his thoughts away from the Midgardian girl across the hall. Things had nearly become...compromising...earlier on Vanaheim. Thank Yggdrasil for that pheasant, because he’d apparently taken leave of his senses. What sort of god was he, that he could be so affected by a simple compliment from a mortal female? Loki picked up an abandoned book from a nearby tabletop and flung it across the room.

Although, if he were being totally honest with himself, it wasn’t just the compliment. Something had been stirring between them for weeks now. He could feel it, humming just barely below the surface of their every interaction. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to go back to her room and finish what had been started on Vanaheim. 

If only circumstances were different. But they were not. Darcy was Midgardian. Even if Loki _did_ want more with her, he could never have it. His father would never allow an entanglement with a mortal. This left few options, none of them truly satisfying.

There had been mortals in his life before her. Not many, but a few. Their lives were so short, and finite. Even if he kept her hidden in Asgard, or visited her in secret on Midgard, she would age, die. To put Darcy in a position like that would be cruel to them both. 

Loki would be eternally as he was. She would not. Affairs with mortals only had two endings. They either grew tired of the secrecy and uncertainty of being with a god, or they remained constant until death. Either way, it meant being alone in the end for their immortal lover.

Even worse was the knowledge that it did not have to be that way. Iðunn's apples worked for Midgardians just as they did for Loki’s kind. The Allfather chose not to share them with the inhabitants of the lesser realms. He didn’t see them worthy, and those who he did offer them to had to pass near impossible tests of valor and courage. 

It would be so much easier for them both if they did not go any further than the light flirtation they had at the moment. Unfortunately, the more Loki told himself the right decision was not to bed Darcy, the more he wanted to bed her. It was truly appalling how many times he had imagined her writhing beneath him, her eyes dazed with pleasure as she gasped out his name into his ear.

It was even more appalling that the very first time he’d had these thoughts was while she was still recovering from her injuries. Assisting her in the bath had nearly driven him mad. She was so lovely, her skin flushed with heat and fury. If he had more time with her, he would see her in that bath again begging him to join her.

He didn’t have more time, though. She needed to be back in Midgard before Thor’s coronation. Truthfully, she needed to be back sooner. Now that the Frost Giants were aware of the secret passage into Asgard, they were at risk of invasion. Loki had set wards at the mouth of the cave, so he would be aware if anyone passed through, but if an attack came, he would be called to defend the palace. That would leave Darcy on her own in the hunting lodge with no means of protection other than her rudimentary skills with a sword. She would never survive it if they found her.

The memory of Darcy at the mercy of Laufey still filled him with such a flood of rage and protectiveness that it was almost overwhelming. She looked so tiny kneeling there in the snow with her eyes a mixture of fear and defiance. Loki couldn’t imagine putting her in that position again. It was unthinkable.

What he was beginning to feel for her was far more than just lust. A sudden irrational image rose unbidden into his mind. Darcy, standing by his side in the palace, wearing the robes of the royal Asgardian family. Loki sighed. He needed to go to bed before he did something rash, like sought her out in hers.

With an absent flick of his fingers, he switched into the linen sleeping pants he'd been wearing at night since the arrival of his houseguest, and climbed into his cold bed. Loki tried not to imagine how much warmer it would be with Darcy in it, and failed. After several fruitless attempts to clear his mind, he gave up and performed a sleeping spell on himself.

It worked, but didn't give the relief he wished for. Within moments, he had fallen into a restless, tangle of dreams that were even more troubling than his waking thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the inspiration for Darcy's armor: [Badass Amor](http://aldafea.deviantart.com/art/ChrisFa-03-394857866)
> 
> Pretty cool, no?


	10. Breakfast with Frigga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy makes toast. Frigga makes trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! :D
> 
> Sorry there was no chapter yesterday. EVERYONE here is sick now. Today my little girl opened her mouth to ask me a question, and promptly projectile vomited all over my jeans. So fun. Being a mom is never, ever boring. 
> 
> Also, for those of you who are on the Loki D Hunt. (We all know what that D stands for, yes?) It is not making an appearance in this chapter, but will be very soon. All I can really say without spoiling stuff, is that you may want to get your hunting gear ready. ;D
> 
> ****************************************************************

Darcy pushed open the kitchen door the next morning only to find Loki’s mother bustling around making breakfast.

“Um, hi!” she said, wondering where Loki was, and why his mom had apparently taken over their kitchen.

“Good morning, Darcy,” Frigga said pleasantly. “I thought perhaps you would enjoy some company today, as my son was called back to the palace.” She gestured at a large basket sitting on the table. “If you will continue setting out the food, I shall make us some tea.”

“You got it,” Darcy replied, starting to unpack the basket. “Is this raspberry jam? For real? First you talk Loki into letting me use a sword, and now you bring my favorite jam. Not gonna lie, I kinda love you, Frigga.”

Frigga laughed. “Had I known you had such a liking for it, I would have brought two jars. How are the lessons coming?”

“Oh you know..they’re um...really hard, actually. It’s totally not what I thought it would be,” Darcy confessed. “I’ll figure it out though. We’re only working on the basics right now. Do you want me to make toast? I’m guessing you won’t turn the knife into a snake, or make the bread disappear, or have it start walking around the table or anything.”

“Loki made the bread walk around the table?” Her eyes lit up with mirth. “I have not seen him do that in years.”

“Yeah. Living with him is sorta like being Alice in Through the Looking Glass. Except with a very limited cast of characters who all look like Loki, and there a whole lot more snakes." Darcy paused, remembering who she was talking to. "Sorry. You probably have no idea what I’m talking about right now, do you?”

“Lewis Carroll?” Loki’s mother handed her a knife to cut the bread. “I have read his works. Not all Asgardians treat Midgard as a cultural wasteland. I find your artists and authors to be quite impressive.”

Darcy grinned at her. “We are totally going to have stuff in common then, because I have a little addiction problem when it comes to art and literature. Was that a yes on the toast?”

“Indeed. I would love some toast.”

It took Darcy a few seconds to get the strange device that toasted the bread to work. The whole thing ran on this transparent screen that shimmered in view when you flipped it on. 

“Sorry, Loki usually does this,” she apologized to Frigga, who was busy making the tea. “I’ve been dying to try though.”

“Are you enjoying our technology?” the Queen asked her. 

“When Loki lets me use it.” Darcy shrugged. “I’m pretty sure that he thinks I’ll burn the house down, because he does most of the cooking. I love the bathing pool though. Oh my God, and the mouth cleaning thing. _So_ much cooler than a toothbrush. I’m thinking of swiping mine and taking it home with me.” She brought the finished toast back to the table and set it down.

“Do you miss home?” Frigga inquired, returning with the teapot, and pouring them each a cup.

Darcy hesitated before answering. “Will it offend you if I say I do?”

Loki’s mother shook her head. “Not at all. I expect that missing your home would be natural. And your family. Will they not be worrying about you?”

“I’m… I’m on my own, actually,” Darcy replied quietly. “My dad was a pilot. He was flying my mom to Colorado for their anniversary, and the plane went down. It will be three years this August.”

“Oh my dear, I am so sorry.” Frigga reached across the table and squeezed her hand sympathetically. “I should not have pried into your personal life. That is a failing of mine, I fear.”

“No, it’s okay. You didn’t know. I miss them. They were awesome parents. My mom was kind of a hippie. She made jewelry, and did yoga, and was always trying to get me to be more zen. And my dad was just hilarious. He had this crazy sense of humor, really dry, but odd. Everyone said I took after him looks-wise. My mom was a blonde.”

“Have you any other family?”

“I’ve got a grandmother in California, but we’re not really close enough that she’d be worried about me if she didn’t hear from me in a few weeks. I’m mostly concerned about my friends. Jane is probably losing her mind right about now.” Darcy picked at her toast. “If it weren’t for that, I would probably want to stay here a little bit longer. Asgard is so beautiful and different. At least what I’ve seen of it. What does the palace look like?”

Frigga smiled. “Oh, I can easily show you that.” She waved her hands and a miniature palace appeared in the center of the table. “There.”

The small building looked solid enough, but when Darcy reached out to touch it, it turned into a mist of magic they way Loki’s non-corporeal double had. “Oops!” She pulled her hand away, and stared, entranced at the image. “It’s nothing like what I expected.”

“And what was it that you expected?” Loki’s mother asked.

Darcy leaned closer to get a better look at the tall, golden spires, and smiled at Frigga. “More like what you’d expect a medieval castle to look like, I guess. Lots of stone, and parapets, and maybe like...a drawbridge.”

Frigga laughed again. “Well, we do have a bridge, but I would not describe it as such. The palace is lovely. I am sure, were circumstances different, that Loki would have enjoyed showing it to you. Perhaps he will still find a way before you go home.”

“I don’t think he’s very happy with me right now,” Darcy told her, frowning. “We had this sort of, situation yesterday during my sword practice. Then he was gone this morning when I woke up.”

“You had a misunderstanding?” The Queen of Asgard sat up and set her toast back on her plate.

“Noooo, not exactly.” She sighed. “There was just this weird vibe all day, and then he went all cold on me, and how are you getting me to tell you all this? You're using mom-magic on me, aren’t you? My mom totally had mom-magic. I always found myself telling her stuff without knowing exactly how it happened.”

“My children often make a similar claim about me,” Frigga replied warmly. “I believe it is just because I am a good listener, and sometimes see things that others do not. For instance, I suspect your reason for wanting to stay a bit longer in Asgard has very little to do with you wanting to see more of the realm. Am I correct?”

Darcy shifted her eyes down to her plate. “Possibly.”

“I thought as much. You know, I would imagine Loki would not be adverse to you spending more time here either. He likes you, Darcy. You may not realize it, because Loki is very good at hiding his feelings, but I have known him his entire life. There is very little he can hide from me. My son cares for you, and it frightens him.”

“Because I’m a mortal?”

Frigga shook her head. “Because he thinks he cannot have you. Although, your mortality plays a part in that, yes. My husband has always discouraged Loki and Thor from forming close relationships with those he considers to be from lesser realms.”

Darcy looked up from her plate. “And you?”

“Odin and I do not agree on this. My main concern is seeing my children happy and fulfilled. If Loki had the chance to find that happiness, I would encourage it, no matter what realm he found it in." Frigga regarded her carefully, and then asked, "Tell me this, do you care for Loki as well?”

“That’s sort of, um...complicated,” Darcy answered.

“Which means that you do,” Frigga concluded, nodding. 

“Even if I did, and I’m not saying I do, I’m going home,” she said. “He’s not going to want to come to Earth just to see me.”

Loki’s mother sipped her tea. “Darcy, I would be highly surprised if my son did not find a myriad of pressing reasons to visit Midgard after you return.”

“Does he know you’re here talking about him right now?” Darcy asked suspiciously.

“Certainly not,” Frigga replied. “He’d have my head if he knew. However, I highly doubt you are going to tell him what we have spoken about.”

“Smart _and_ sneaky,” Darcy said. “Now I see where he gets it from.”

Frigga saluted her with her teacup. “Indeed. Now, on to less dangerous topics. How do you feel about gardening? The one behind this house has fallen into complete ruin. I thought we could work on it today until Loki returns.”

“I’d love to help, but I can’t go out,” Darcy explained, showing Frigga the thick, metal cuff around her wrist. “Unless I’m with Loki, I can’t leave the house.”

“Oh my dear, there is no reason for that to stop us. I’ve been able to undo a binding spell like that since I was your age. Come, give me your hand.”

Darcy held her arm out, and Frigga carefully examined the bracelet for a moment before running her thumb over a point at the center of Darcy’s wrist. A seam immediately appeared, and the bracelet fell open, tumbling onto table with a loud thunk.

“There.” Frigga smiled triumphantly. “You are uncaged. Shall we go out?”

For a moment, Darcy just stared at her bare wrist. It felt odd to have nothing on it after all the weeks of wearing the cuff. She a strange urge to put it back on. Then she shook those thoughts off, and returned her focus to Loki’s mother. 

“Yep. Let’s go.”

They had barely made it into the garden before Darcy heard doors slamming in the house. Seconds later, Loki appeared in the garden, cuff in hand, looking completely upset. The moment he saw Darcy with his mother, his expression immediately switched into one of relief.

“Hello my love,” Frigga said, holding her hand out to him. “I thought perhaps Darcy would enjoy getting out into the garden. I hope I haven’t caused you concern.”

“She asked if I wanted to help her weed and stuff,” Darcy told him, feeling totally idiotic as she looked at the perfectly orderly garden where there wasn’t a single weed to be seen. Frigga was even sneakier than she had thought.

Loki eyed his mother skeptically. “Did she? Have you forgotten that you bespelled this garden, Mother?”

“Gracious, I must have. Silly me. My apologies, Darcy. It had entirely slipped my mind,” Frigga said innocently. “And now I have made poor Loki rush home to check on you.”

Darcy almost laughed. Frigga certainly did know how to prove a point. That bracelet hadn’t been off more than a minute before Loki showed up looking for her. 

“Well my dear,” the Queen continued, “as you can see, she is just fine. Will you be returning to the palace?”

“Actually,” Loki said, pulling an open book out of thin air, and handing it to his mother. “I was on my way to see you. I have found a way to get Darcy home.”

For a moment, Darcy could see what looked like distress flicker in Frigga’s eyes. Then she composed her features, and smiled. 

“That is wonderful news. Is it not, Darcy? When do you plan to take her back to Midgard?”

“It looks as if the passageway is on the other side of Asgard.” Loki pointed to a spot on a map in one of the open pages of the book. “I had intended to leave shortly to verify that it truly works, and if all is well, Darcy may go home tomorrow morning.”

“I see.” Frigga nodded thoughtfully, and studied the map. “I shall stay with Darcy until you return then. Unless you object?”

“Not at all,” Loki replied. “Although I would prefer she had this on.” He took Darcy’s hand and snapped the cuff around it again. “Just as a safety precaution.”

Frigga caught Darcy’s eye while Loki was occupied in restoring the bracelet, and her expression practically shouted “I told you so.” For Darcy’s part, she didn’t like to admit it, but she was glad to have the cuff back where it belonged.

There was some more discussion between Loki and Frigga regarding the newfound passage between realms, and he teleported away again. Darcy spent the rest of the day with Frigga. The Queen seemed a bit distracted at times, and she left the moment Loki got back, saying that there was something needing her attention back at the palace. 

Loki was very quiet all through dinner. There were none of his usual teasing pranks. Darcy tried several times to engage him in conversation before finally giving up, and finishing her meal in silence. When they were done eating, he cleared the dishes with an abrupt wave of his hand.

“We leave at first light,” he told her. “You ought to get some sleep.”

“Okay.” Darcy looked down at her hands, picking at a thumbnail. “Are you mad at me or something? Because you hardly acknowledged me all night. Is this about your mom taking the bracelet off?”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair before answering. “No, of course not. I am just concerned about our journey at the moment. Go to bed, Darcy. I will wake you when it is time to leave.”

She gave him a brief glance, and then nodded and headed upstairs. Obviously Frigga was wrong. It seemed like Loki couldn’t wait until he was rid of her. That really hurt, and the hardest part was that Darcy no longer wanted to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How adorable is this, you guys? Seriously. He's all, "My helmet is WAY more complicated than Thor's. That makes me the cooler brother. For real."
> 
>  


	11. Communication 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we deal with a couple of adorable idiots with zero communication skills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If everyone will please get into the vehicle with your gear, we can start the safari.  
> 
> 
> In case anyone hasn't figured it out yet, this chapter is NSFW. You have been warned.
> 
> ***********************************************************

Darcy had only been asleep about an hour, when she was awakened by loud shouting. It was Loki, and he sounded like he was under attack. Darcy made her way across the hall in trepidation, not sure what she was going to find when she reached his room. 

She knocked softly on the door. “Loki?”

There was no answer. She quietly pushed the door open and stepped inside. Loki was in the center of the bed, obviously in the throes of a nightmare, thrashing and talking in his sleep. His forehead was furrowed in pain, and his hands clawed at the sheets beneath him.

Darcy bit her lip nervously. Every fiber of her being was telling her to turn around and walk back out of his room, but she just couldn’t leave him suffering like that. 

She crossed over to the bed and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. “Hey, wake up.”

He rolled his head from side to side, muttering, but gave no indication that he heard her. She tried again, shaking a little harder this time. “Loki, please, I think you’re having some sort of nightmare. Wake up.”

His eyes snapped open, and he sat up so suddenly she would have stumbled over backwards had he not grabbed her wrist.

“Darcy?” he asked, and in the dim light of his room, his face looked so open and vulnerable and young. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be in here, but I think you were having a nightmare. I’m really sorry. Seriously. I never would have come in unless I thought something was wrong. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy or anything. God, I said I was sorry, right? I should just go.” Darcy attempted to pull her hand free, but he held firm.

“Stay.”

She froze, eyes fixed on his hand around her wrist.

“Darcy, please,” he said. “Stay.”

His voice broke over the please, and her chest hitched at the sound of it. Loki released her wrist, and pushed himself back to make room for her. Hesitantly, she slid onto the bed and moved over until she was resting against the headboard next to him. 

“Thank you,” he said. “I’d rather not be alone right now.”

Loki was only wearing a pair of loose linen pants and Darcy was trying desperately not to focus on the hard planes of his naked chest rising and falling with every breath. She needed to talk, say something...distract herself before he caught her looking.

“Was it about the Frost Giants? The nightmare I mean. Are you worrying about them attacking at the coronation?” She peered up at him, watching the shadows play over his face.

“Yes… No. Not exactly,” he said in a pained voice. “I... May we talk about something else?”

Darcy smiled sympathetically. “Yeah, of course. Whatever you want.”

“Did I wake you?” Loki inquired, twisting his shoulders a bit so he was facing her.

She shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, I hadn’t been asleep that long. I had a lot on my mind.”

“Really?” His eyes were bright and inquisitive in the darkness. “Tell me, what was keeping you from your sleep?” 

“I was thinking about you, actually.” She pleated the quilt on his bed through her fingers nervously.

“Me?" He seemed truly puzzled. "Why am I weighing so heavily on your mind, Darcy?”

She got to the end of the little piece of blanket in her fingers, and let it go, only to start folding it again. “Nevermind. It’s not important.”

A finger slid under her chin, turning her face back to his. “It was important enough to keep you awake. Come Darcy, you are always so bold. Why are you suddenly shy now?”

 _Because it’s about you,_ she wanted to say. _And I’m a stupid, ridiculous girl, who has fallen for the one guy in all the universe that she can’t have. And fuck me, you look so hot right now without your shirt. I need to go back to my room before I do something stupid._

“Darcy?” He was still waiting for an answer.

She sighed. “Look, Loki, you aren’t going to want to hear it. And I don’t want to say it, so… Let’s just call it mortal girl hangups, and move on.”

“How do you know what I don’t want to hear about? Have you become a seer since our meal earlier?” His tone had a thread of humor running it through it, but she could tell he wasn't letting her off the hook.

She took a deep breath, trying to work up her courage. “Fine. You really want to know? Then I’ll tell you. I can’t figure you out, and it’s turning me into a crazy person. What’s going on with you, Loki? Because all this acting hot and cold, and then disappearing all day because something possibly, nearly, almost happens, is really starting to fuck with my head.”

“Darcy…” he interrupted.

“No.” She held a hand up to stop him. “You asked. It’s only fair that you let me finish answering.”

He fell silent again.

“You saved my life. Twice. That’s a big deal. But sometimes I feel like you regret it, and other times I feel like… I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.” She sighed. “Look, I’m really sorry that I’m dumping this on you not ten minutes after I woke you up from what seemed like a very traumatic nightmare, but like I said before, you asked. To tell you the truth, this is all starting to be incredibly embarrassing. If you don’t mind, I’m just going to leave now and pretend none of it ever happened.” She started to climb off the bed, and was immediately stopped when his arm quickly wrapped around her waist and hauled her back.

“I don’t recall saying you could leave,” Loki said. 

“See? This is just what I’m talking about! No wonder I have high-functioning Stockholm Syndrome. You constantly go from sexy, teasing God of Mischief, to frigid, disinterested Lord of Distance. I never know where I stand, or how you feel about me, or if you are ten seconds away from leaving me where you found me in the woods and never looking back. I mean, I've started having dreams about you, Loki. _Dreams_. And I have no idea if you even think about me.”

“I do,” he answered calmly.

Darcy almost missed his answer, she was so intent on continuing her tirade. “And, also… Wait, what?”

“I think of you. Often. Lately, I have thought of little else but you. It is like I am bewitched."

What exactly did he mean by that? Because it sounded an awful lot like Loki had at thing for her.

“Are you saying that you’re attracted to me?” she asked carefully. 

“I’m fairly certain I just told you that I am, Darcy.” He gazed steadily at her. “Very much so.”

She felt her lungs stutter at his admission. "Seriously?"

Loki chuckled. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

“Okay then, I’m just going to say what I need to say, because I’m going home tomorrow and this will be my only chance." Darcy took a deep breath. "I feel the same way about you, but I’m sure you know that. I’m hardly subtle. In fact, I’m usually ridiculously obvious. You know, like now. Although I suppose now doesn’t really count because we’re actually talking about this stuff, and I’m telling you on purpose, and I should really shut up because this is getting exponentially more mortifying the longer I talk. Anytime you want to jump in a say something, please...feel free. Or you know, you could just sit there all impassive while I hang myself out to d…”

Loki leaned forward, amusement curling up the corners of his mouth, and rested a finger over her lips. 

“Thank you,” she mumbled from behind his finger and he nodded and returned his hand to his lap. “So... When you say you think about me. Does that mean sex?”

He barked out a surprised laugh. “Yes. Often. Twice in the past thirty seconds, not that I wasn’t also listening to your charming little discourse on how you feel about me.”

“Oh,” she said, slightly taken aback. He was thinking about that now? Wow, that was just...wow. “Was it good for you? You know, the thing you were thinking about in the past thirty seconds,” she clarified.

Loki’s smile turned positively wicked. “I assure you, Darcy, it was very good. For both of us.”

For once, she found herself speechless. Darcy wanted very badly to crawl into his lap, and he looked as if he’d be more than open to it. Of course, that thought made her look at his lap and wonder what exactly he had going on under those linen pants, and once she started staring she found she couldn’t stop.

“My face,” Loki said, in a voice rife with humor, “is up here.”

She immediately shifted her eyes back to his, and cleared her throat. “Yeah, I know. I was just um…”

“Staring inappropriately at my manhood?” he offered.

She cleared her throat. “Yep.” Had he just said manhood? How did he do that have it not sound like a bad romance novel? The man had serious skills.

His green eyes were alight with mischief. “Considering our conversation, I can hardly blame you.”

“I was sort of counting on that,” she replied, and he chuckled. “So, about the conversation, I have a question.”

“Yes?”

Darcy was pretty sure her stomach could have won an Olympic gold medal in acrobatics at that point with all the flipping around it was doing. “Now that this is all out in the open, is there any chance of us, um, acting on it?” 

Loki’s eyebrows flew up. “Did you just ask me to bed you?” 

“Um…” She looked away. “Maybe. Yeah. Yes. Even if it’s only just the one time, and I don’t ever see you again after tomorrow. I’d rather have this just once with you, Loki, than spend the rest of my life wondering about it. If you want to, that is.”

The very next thing she knew, Darcy was flat on her back on the bed, with Loki above her, braced up on his elbows. He pushed her legs apart with own, lowering his hips down on top of hers, and she could feel the hard evidence of his arousal pressing insistently against her thigh.

“Ask me again, mortal,” he growled against her lips. “Ask me again if I want this.”

“Wouldn’t that kind of be a rhetorical question?” she asked, brain completely shorting out from what had just transpired. 

“Weeks, Darcy. I have wanted this for weeks. I think perhaps since the very first time you spoke to me, after I carried you home.” He moved against her in a long, slow grind.

“God,” she gasped. “Me too. I mean, it’s been weeks. I wanted to fucking _roast_ that pheasant. You have no idea.”

Loki looked down at her, a combination of lust and amusement on his face. “And here I was trying very hard not to take advantage of the injured, Midgardian girl under my protection. You have no idea how difficult it was to restrain myself.”

“For the record, I really like unrestrained you,” she informed him. “Can we get rid of these pants?” She pulled on them impatiently.

“Darcy?”

“Hm?” she asked distractedly, trying to find the tie to his pants so she could get them off.

He leaned down and ran his tongue over her bottom lip, promptly diverting her attention away from his pants. 

“Hello,” Loki said. 

“Oh. Hey.” She smiled sheepishly.

“I had hoped,” he murmured, brushing his lips over hers, “to take my time. As we have already waited so long, I thought perhaps you would let me pleasure you at my leisure.”

Loki pulled back and waited for her answer.

Darcy was having a hard time forming words. It took her two tries, but she finally got out a shaky, “Okay.”

His mouth came back down on hers more insistently this time. God, it was amazing. Sensation was fizzing over her body from each point of connection with his skin, and heat was rushing through her everywhere.. 

All this, and he hadn’t even even used his tongue yet. Then he did, and she found herself arching up against him. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and her fingers tangled in his hair to pull him closer. Loki tilted his head, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, and tugging lightly on it with his teeth before breaking the kiss.

Darcy felt dazed. She couldn’t remember the last time a kiss had affected her so strongly. True, he was really good at it, but it wasn’t just that. There was so much feeling behind it. She wasn’t sure if the feeling was from her, or him, but was completely past the point of caring.

His lips were traveling across her face now, kissing each eyelid in turn before drifting down to her jaw. She had no idea what a turn-on going slow could be. Loki flicked his tongue over the outer shell of her ear, and then sucked her earlobe into his mouth, before moving on to the column of her throat.

Her neck curved up under his lips, and he nipped over her pulse point, making her shiver. When he reached the neckline of her t-shirt, he looked up and smiled. The entire thing disappeared in a shimmer of green magic. He dropped his head to trace over one breast with his tongue, taking her nipple into his mouth. Darcy whimpered, and he released it to blow a cool stream of air over it before switching to the other one.

His unhurried pace was causing the tension inside her to skyrocket. He moved languidly down her frame, savoring each inch of her skin. Fingertips were skimming up the inside of her thigh now, drawing small circular patterns on her skin. Loki nipped at the inside of her hip, and then brought his other hand up to push her legs apart as his head dipped lower. 

She felt his fingers slip over the last bit of fabric still covering her. It vanished in the same way as her t-shirt, allowing those fingers to tease the slick heat at her core. Almost simultaneously, his mouth joined them. His tongue traced through her folds, before setting up a steady rhythm over her clit.

Darcy rocked up, and he laid a palm flat on her pelvis, pushing her back down against the bed and holding her there at his mercy. She writhed, hips pushing up against his hand over and over, as he licked and sucked until she was moaning and clutching the sheets in her hands.

One long finger slipped inside her, and then another, twisting and curling until they found a spot that made her gasp. He made a sound of satisfaction, relentlessly combining the stroking of that spot with what his mouth was doing. Darcy threw her head back, crying out as her orgasm flared up and burned through her, leaving her shattered in its wake. 

He gentled his touch, drawing it out longer than she thought possible. Once her hips had stilled, Loki surged up over her, seeking out her mouth and capturing it in a passionate kiss. She noticed that he had gotten rid of his pants at some point. Which she decided was pretty damn awesome.

“Has anyone ever told you how gorgeously responsive you are?” he asked her, rubbing the tip of his nose over hers.

Darcy winced. “You mean loud?”

“I mean unfettered, free. It is incredibly erotic.”

“Um, yeah. I’ve mostly just gotten loud.”

Loki’s brow furrowed. “Forgive me, Darcy, but if that is how your other lovers saw you, you have been with fools.”

“So, you’re saying you liked it then?” she asked skeptically.

He took her hand and guided it down between them so she could feel how aroused he was, and then arched his eyebrow at her. “Will you be requiring further proof?”

“No,” she replied, licking her lips. “That is um… That’s a lot of proof right there. Actually, that’s more proof than I’m used to. Jesus. We could have been doing this for weeks.”

“Shall we make up for lost time?” Loki shifted his hips restlessly above hers.

Darcy suddenly found herself feeling a little breathless. He was right there, nudging wetly against her. She closed her fingers around his straining length, and guided him closer until they were aligned. Loki bent his head over hers, silky hair spilling down to brush her cheek as he began to push inside.

He went slowly, giving her body time to adjust. “Are you alright?” he asked, when he was as deep as he could go. 

“Seriously? You have no idea how you good you feel,” Darcy replied, clenching all her internal muscles around him, making him hiss. 

Loki pulled back and thrust into her again, and she took his face in her hands and pulled his mouth down to hers. As the kiss deepened, he increased his pace. Soon her hips were rolling up to meet his on every thrust.

The more forceful his strokes became, the more frantic Darcy felt. One of Loki’s hands was pinning hers to the pillow next to her head, and the other one was gripping the headboard for leverage. Since he was otherwise occupied, Darcy snuck a hand between them, and began rubbing two fingers over her clit. It took a few seconds for Loki to notice.

“Darcy are you…?” He glanced down and then back at her with a grin. “Oh you naughty little minx.” 

She started to pull her hand away and caught her wrist and brought it back. “Don’t. Stop,” he growled.

“You like that,” she said, returning her fingers to the sensitive little nub, “watching.”

He nodded slowly, eyes still flickering back and forth between her face and her nimble fingers. Darcy was so close to coming at this point, that her whole body was starting to ache with it. Just seeing the look on his face as she pleasured herself was enough to push her right over the edge.

“Loki,” she gasped. “ _God_ , Loki!”

It was like her entire world spiraled down into a tiny spark of white light, and then exploded outwards. Loki said something she couldn’t understand, hips snapping up into her. Then his back arched, and he shuddered against her, calling out her name as his own release raged through him.

Afterwards, he held himself on his palms, before slowly lowering himself down on top her her. He rested his forehead on hers, his breathing harsh and labored. 

“Was that worth the wait?” Loki asked, voice raspy.

Was he crazy? It was the best sex of her life.

“Nope. I’m sure you could tell by the way I was screaming your name, how totally not into it I was,” she replied. 

He laughed, and rolled onto his back, pulling her along with him so she was lying on his chest. “I shall endeavor to try harder next time.”

“Next time?” Darcy lifted her head up to look at him. “There is going to be a next time?”

“Of course,” he said, the arm around her tightening. “We have all night.”

And there it was. Darcy felt a little sick. He didn’t say tomorrow, or mention seeing her again. This was a one-time thing. She was going home, and it would over. 

“Right,” she answered, forcing the hurt out of her voice. She was the one who said she wanted one night with him after all. It would be stupid to fault him for taking her up on her own offer.

It really, really sucked, though.

“Actually,” Darcy said, feigning a yawn, “I think you wore me out. Mind if we just go to sleep?”

“If that is what you want,” Loki replied, seeming surprised.

“Yep. I’m exhausted. ‘Night, Loki.”

There was a pause before he quietly said, “Goodnight, Darcy.”

She waited until Loki fell asleep, and cautiously disentangled herself from his embrace. For a moment, she stood there looking at him. The moonlight had thrown his body into stark relief, and washed his skin white like marble. He had one arm flung above his head on the pillow, and his hair was rumpled with sleep. Darcy committed every detail to memory. It was all she would have left of him after he took her home.

Finally she slipped away. It would be easier this way. If she didn’t stay the night with him, it didn’t have to mean anything. At least, she could pretend that it hadn’t. Darcy curled up in her own bed, and tried unsuccessfully to sleep.

***************************************************************************************************

Loki woke up just before first light. Without even opening his eyes, he reached out for the lovely mortal who he thought was sharing his bed. His hand came in contact with cold sheets and empty space. No Darcy, and unless he was mistaken, she had been gone a while.

Had he done something wrong? Loki knew she had enjoyed herself. He had felt it, _seen_ it in her beautiful eyes when they were together. All those weeks of waiting, and he finally, finally was able to make love to her the way he’d been wanting to...and she had left him alone at her first opportunity.

He had hoped when she said one night, that she didn’t truly mean it. He thought perhaps what had transpired between them would be enough to convince her to stay a little while longer, or at least allow him to see her on Midgard after she returned. Obviously not. 

Loki hadn’t expected to feel so desolate over that fact. 

There was nothing for it. He couldn’t possibly be angry with her. She had stated her terms, and he had accepted them. One night, and then she would go home. All that was left now, was to see her safely back. 

By the time dawn was breaking through the trees, Loki was dressed. He went to Darcy’s room to wake her. She was already up, wearing the clothes she’d arrived in, and standing at the window, looking out at the garden behind the house. Her bag was slung over her shoulder.

“Are we ready to go?” she asked, not even bothering to turn around and look at him.

His stomach roiled. “We can leave whenever you wish.”

“Now’s good,” she said, finally turning to face him. “Here.” She held her wrist out, waiting for him to remove the binding cuff.

“I thought perhaps you would keep it,” he replied. “I will make it so that it can be removed, but until the threat of a Frost Giant attack is over, we could use it to communicate. That way, you would be protected if they found their way into Midgard.”

Darcy looked at the bracelet briefly and then shrugged. “Okay. Whatever you want.”

He took it in his hands, winding the spell around the thick band of gold that would allow them to speak back and forth through it. Then he added a clasp mechanism so she could remove it when she wished. 

“If you should need to contact me, all you will need to do is trace your finger over it like this.” He showed her how to activate the magic. “Then think of what you want to say. Would you like to try it?” he asked hopefully. 

“Nope. I’m sure it works.” Darcy shoved the bracelet into her pocket. “Alright. Let’s blow this medieval popstand.”

“I thought we should eat first.” It was a pathetic attempt to keep her longer. He knew that, but was unable to help himself.

“I’ll do that when I get home,” she replied. 

“Of course. Come here then.” He held his arm out stiffly, and waited until she came over so he could put it around her. “We will be teleporting across Asgard. From there, it is only a short tunnel through to Midgard. Then you will need to help direct me. I am still unfamiliar with where you live.”

“No problem. Let’s go.”

Loki couldn’t believe how cold she was being. It was as if they were complete strangers, and not two people who had spent the past month together in close living quarters. Even Darcy furious at him was better than this remote, disinterested girl in his arms. Part of him wanted to provoke her to anger, just to see the passionate woman he had grown to care for once more.

Instead, he teleported them to the tunnel, and led her through. She barely spoke to him on the journey. When they arrived on the other side, Darcy looked around at the rocky coastline in confusion.

“Where are we?” she asked. “This is definitely not New Mexico.”

Loki shook his head. “No. I believe we are in what you would call Norway. You will need to show me your home, so that I can take you there.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Show you how?”

“We can use the bracelets.” He flashed the one still on his wrist. “If you touch it the way I showed you, while thinking of home, I will be able to see the image so we can teleport there. It would help if you chose a larger space. Preferably outdoors.”

Darcy pulled the cuff back out of her pocket and snapped it around her wrist. Then she ran her thumb across the surface, and moments later, he had a strong vision of open desert.

“Are you getting that?” she asked. “I tried to think of a place near my apartment where people wouldn’t see us suddenly appear out of nowhere.”

He nodded. “It is perfect.”

She took his arm again, and Loki moved them to the place Darcy had shown him. The moment they had fully materialized, she let go and stepped away.

This was it. Darcy was about to walk straight of his life, and he could not think of a single thing to say to keep her. 

“Thanks, Loki. You’ve been awesome,” she said, standing there expectantly with her hand out.

He stared at her small hand, and belatedly realized she was waiting for him to say goodbye.

“It has been my pleasure, Darcy Lewis.” Loki clasped her hand briefly, and then bent over it so he could kiss her knuckles. “Do try to stay out of trouble on Midgard. I may not be able to come running to your rescue each time you engage a dangerous animal with a pastry and a sharp tongue.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” She motioned towards a long brick building in the distance. “That’s me over there. Anyway, bye Loki. Tell your mom I really loved meeting her.”

She started walking away without waiting for him to say anything else. 

“Goodbye, Darcy,” he called after her. 

For a moment, he was sure she slowed, but she didn’t turn around. He watched her for a few more seconds as the distance grew between them, and then teleported away.

**********************************************************************

Darcy spun around. She couldn’t leave it like that. What had happened last night was not his fault, and she’d been acting like a total bitch to him. He didn’t deserve it. She needed to apologize.

It was too late though. He was already gone. Darcy trudged back to her apartment, managing to keep from crying until the door closed behind her. She sank down onto the floor to sit with her back to it, finally allowing the tears to boil up, hot and painful, and spill down her cheeks. 

She was never going to see Loki again, and she would never meet anyone else like him. For the first time since she’d lost her parents, Darcy felt like she’d connected with someone. _Really_ connected. And now she’d lost him too.

God, what she wouldn’t do to have him right there in front of her. She’d tell him everything. How she felt about him, and how much last night meant to her, and how in the month she’d known him, he’d come to be such an important part of her life. She just wanted him back. So much.

Darcy closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the door. When she opened them again, Loki was standing across the room from her, his expression desperate. Her heart started to pound.

“Did you mean that?” he asked, voice hoarse.

She stared at him in confusion. “Mean what?”

“Darcy,” he said, “you are touching the bracelet.”

Her gaze dropped down to where she’d been absentmindedly toying with the cuff while she was thinking about him. Oh God. How much of what she’d been thinking had he heard.

“All of it,” he answered. “And you are still using it. Please. I have to know. Did you mean it?”

All the air had gone out of the room. Or if it was still there, Darcy couldn’t find it. 

“Yeah. I meant it.”

Before she was even done saying the words, Loki was across the room and kneeling on the floor in front of her with his arms wrapped around her. “I believe we have been complete idiots,” he said into her hair.

“Yeah we have. We really need to work on our communication skills. Maybe we'll get better at it,” she replied, sniffling.

“I certainly hope so. Will you come back with me?” He pulled back and gazed pleadingly at her. “Or I can see you here. Whichever you prefer.”

“Yes. Totally. Either. Both. Whatever you want. I just need to check on my friends first, and… Hey! My taser!” Darcy beamed happily at the device that was sitting on the little table near the door. “I must have forgotten to put it in my bag when I left that morning. Thank God, I thought it was gone forever.”

Loki reached over and picked it up, turning it around his hands. “ _This_ is the thing you’ve been talking about all this time?”

“Yep. And you don’t want to hold it like that unless you have a kink for electroshock.” She plucked it out of his fingers, and set it on the floor next to them. Then Darcy cupped his face in her hands and said, “I plan on kissing you right now, and fair warning, I am going to use tongue.”

He was still laughing when she brought her lips to his. The laughter quickly turned into a groan when she coaxed his tongue into her mouth with her own, and then sucked on it. Ten seconds later, he was the one against the door and she was straddling his lap.

It was incredibly awesome. Had her stomach not been growling so loudly, she was pretty sure they would have been having rampant floor sex. 

Instead, Loki broke the kiss and cocked an eyebrow at her. “I knew you should have eaten earlier.”

“Yeah well, I was busy being depressed because I thought you didn’t want me.”

“Did we not cover the fact that I wanted you last night?” he asked, lifting her off of him, and helping her up as he stood.

“We did. But then you said that thing about us having all night, and I thought it meant _just_ last night,” she told him. 

Loki tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “So you waited until I fell asleep and left my room?”

“More or less,” she said. “I thought it would be worse if I had stayed.”

“Ah,” he replied, giving her a lopsided smile. “I see. Little did you know that I had intended to beg you to stay this morning.”

“Well I know that now. Do you want pancakes? I’m dying for pancakes. I’ll pay.” Darcy looked him up and down, taking in the excess of leather and scattered pieces of armor. “You can’t go like that. You look like Edward Scissorhands lite. Can you make something more um...Midgardian?”

He glanced at his clothes, and shrugged. “Show me.”

Half an hour later, she had finished her crash course in Earth clothes. Her room looked like a magazine explosion had gone off. They finally settled on a black v-neck t-shirt, a hunter green jacket, and fitted jeans with dark grey, suede Adidas.

“Rawr,” Darcy said. “This was totally worth the effort it took to talk you into jeans, Loki, because you are sexy as fuck in them. I'm going to get you out of them the minute we get home, though.” She grabbed her keys and taser, tossing them into her bag. “Okay. Let’s get pancakes.”

On her way to the diner, Darcy called Jane. The call went straight into voicemail. She left a message, and a few seconds later, a text popped up on her phone.

Darcy read the text, and then stopped right in the middle of the street. “Shit,” she said, looking up at Loki. “We’ve got a problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, since we've just reached 5k hits, I thought we could have some fun. :D
> 
> If there's something in the story you really want to see, let me know. Put your prompt in the reviews, or hit me up on tumblr.


	12. Pancakes with a side of Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy just wants her damn pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Um. No. We're just here to eat pancakes.**
> 
> **************************************************

As cars honked their horns, Darcy reread the message from Jane.

**Darce, I had to borrow this phone because mine is being monitored. Please be careful, your apartment is under surveillance. Also, so glad you’re okay. Where were you??? -Jane**

Loki put his arm around her shoulders and began hurrying her forward. “Darcy, I believe we need to exit the street.”

“Oh, right,” she said to him. “Sorry. Sorry!” She waved apologetically at the line of the cars waiting, and quickly moved to the other side of the street. 

“Now,” he said, once they’d safely reached the sidewalk, “tell me what is causing you such concern.”

“It’s Jane. She says my apartment is being watched.” Darcy held the phone up so he could see the text. “Why would anyone be doing that? Does she mean the police?”

Loki took the phone, reading the somewhat cryptic message with his brow furrowed. “I do not like this. Your friend built and implemented a bridge to cross realms. I would venture to guess that someone has discovered this fact. It sounds as if she is being detained somewhere.” He looked up, carefully scanning their surroundings. “Darcy, it might be best if we get out of the open. If your apartment is being watched, as she said, they will already know that you have left it.”

She made a beeline for the diner, his arm still protectively wrapped around her shoulders. 

“Yeah, but why would they want me? I’m just an intern. I’ve got no idea how any of Jane’s sciencey-stuff works. She does all the work. All I do is type in the data.”

“Be that as it may, _you_ are the one who traveled between realms, Darcy. Whoever is holding Jane would likely be highly interested in speaking with you about that.” 

They’d reached the restaurant at this point. Darcy yanked the door open, and they both ducked inside. When the hostess asked where they would like to sit, Loki chose a spot where he could see out of the window. Darcy took the seat across from him, waving away the menus. 

“Two coffees, lots of creamers, and two orders of pancakes. One strawberry and one chocolate chip. He gets the chocolate chip.” She pointed at Loki. “In fact, make his a double stack.”

Loki was still watching the window, eyes flicking rapidly up and down the available view of the street.

“Any baddies out there?” Darcy asked, craning her neck around to see.

As she spoke, several black vehicles pulled up across the street and parked. Loki’s green jacket subtly shifted into something more like what he would have worn at home with straps and hidden places to conceal his daggers.

“I’m guessing that’s them,” she said nervously. 

He reached across the table and held his hand palm up for her to take. Then he made a great show of affectionately playing with her fingers while he spoke. Only his tone belied the his playful behavior. “I will need you to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?”

She nodded. 

“Good. I suspect in a moment we will have company. Keep your cuff in a place where you can see it, but they cannot. I may need to communicate with you without them being aware of it. If they ask, I am your neighbor. It will explain why we came out of your building together. We are courting…”

“Dating,” she corrected. “No one says courting here anymore. _Are_ we dating?”

He smiled despite the seriousness of the situation. “Darcy, I assure you that you are being courted. By me. However, it would be helpful if you could please focus. I may need to protect you, and your cooperation will be necessary.”

“Cool," she grinned back at him. "Can I have just one second to be excited about that?”

His eyebrow arched at her from the other side of the table. "What if I promise to reward you later for your patience?"

“I'm so totally focused on your plan right now,” she assured him, still grinning. “You have no idea how focused. There is going to be so much rewarding later because of my attention to detail and whatnot.”

Before he could say anything else, the waitress returned carrying a coffee pot and the creamers. She plunked the creamers down in the middle of the table and filled up their cups.

“Your pancakes’ll be out in just a couple minutes, folks. Did you want regular syrup with that or berry?”

“Regular’s fine,” Darcy answered, trying to get rid of her.

As soon as she’d left, Darcy started ripping the tops off the creamers and dumping them into her coffee. 

“My dad used to ask me if I wanted coffee with my cream,” she said to Loki, as she poured the third one in. Then she looked at him expectantly. “Well? Go on.”

He gingerly added two creams to his own coffee, took a sip, and made a face. She pushed the sugar dispenser at him. 

“Stir some of that in it,” she directed. “This diner makes an ungodly excuse for coffee. You practically have to disguise it as something else to make it drinkable.”

Loki stirred some sugar into the offending drink, and then promptly stuck it on the far side of the table and ignored it. 

“They are getting out of the vehicles,” he said calmly, as if he were just commenting on the weather. “Whatever happens, do not tell them who I am, or what I can do. That way, we will have the element of surprise on our side. Answer all other questions as briefly as possible. You have no idea how Jane Foster's technology works. You arrived in another realm, were injured, and once you were healed, the inhabitants sent you back home. That is all.”

Darcy slid her foot over towards his under the table, aligning them so that her the toe of her shoe was flush against his instep. “I'm a little scared,” she admitted. “What if they try to take me somewhere?”

“I have no intention of allowing you to be abducted or harmed. Trust me, Darcy. If for one second I think there is any danger of that, I will teleport us both back to Norway.” He glanced back out the window. “Although it may be a good idea to accompany them should they ask, if only to see where they are holding your Dr. Foster.”

She heard the bell on the door of the restaurant jingle as the men came in. They arrived at the table at the same time as the pancakes. 

“Here you go,” their waitress said. “One chocolate chip double-stack, and one strawberry regular.” She turned to look at the three men standing behind her. “Something I can help you with, gentlemen?”

One of them, an unassuming looking man wearing a suit, flashed a friendly smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “No. We were just joining our friends here.”

“I see.” The woman gave them a suspicious once over. “Can I get you anything?”

“Just coffee,” he replied. 

As he was speaking, the youngest looking of the three men grabbed a nearby table and slid it over so it was adjoining theirs. Then he pulled over three chairs, setting two up to the table, and turning the third around so he was straddling it backwards next to Darcy. The man in the suit sat down in the one across from him.

Loki moved his foot and gently pressed the sole of his shoe down on top of her toes. She glanced up at him, and he gazed reassuringly at her. The cuff around her wrist tingled with a short burst of heat. Darcy looked down to see the words _We are fine. You are safe. Breathe, Darcy._ scrolling across the surface. They looked as if they were engraved in the gold. She surreptitiously rubbed her thumb over it, and the words disappeared. 

“Strawberry pancakes?” the man sitting next to her with the short, spiky hair said approvingly, rubbing his hand over his chin. “Good choice.”

“We’re not here to discuss food, Barton,” the man who seemed to be the leader said, taking the seat at the head of the small, adjoining table, and finally addressing Darcy. “Good morning, Ms Lewis. My name is Nick Fury. I’m a friend of your boss, Dr. Foster. These are my associates, Agent Coulson, and Agent Barton.”

Darcy looked at the imposing guy in the long leather coat and eyepatch. “You’re a friend of Jane’s?” she asked skeptically.

“Well, let’s say I’m more like her current employer. We've heard quite a story from her regarding your whereabouts for the past month, which is why I’m here. She claims to have created a device that bridges the gap between dimensions. For some reason though, she is unable to duplicate the results she achieved about the time you went missing. Do you have any idea why that might be the case?” he asked, narrowing the eye not covered by a patch at her.

“Um… Maybe it was the donut?” she offered.

“Come again?” Nick Fury didn’t seem amused.

“I was holding a donut last time,” Darcy explained. “And my iPod. Maybe that had something to do with it.”

“I highly doubt that either a pastry or an iPod had anything to do with what happened here a month ago. Speaking of that, just where have you been for the past month, Ms Lewis?” He sat back with his arms folded over his chest and waited for her to answer.

“Well, it’s like you said. The bridge thingy worked. I got sent somewhere else, and now I’m back. You can see I’m fine. Jane didn’t mean to do it. I just happened to walk into her lab when she was testing it. You should probably let her go, since the whole thing was a total accident, and you just said she can't seem to make it work again.”

His eyebrows rose up on his forehead. “When you say it worked before... Are you telling me that Dr. Foster's Einstein-Rosen Bridge actually transported you off of Earth, Ms Lewis?” 

The other two men leaned closer, watching her closely.

Darcy looked up at Loki for a second and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod.

“Yeah. I think so," she said. "But I don’t remember much. I got hurt on the uh...landing. The local people helped me get better and then sent me home. That’s about it.”

Fury pursed his lips and his gaze settled on Loki for a moment before returning to her. “I see. And you just happened to bring one of those locals back with you?”

Loki’s demeanor immediately changed from one of polite curiosity to sharp awareness. He sat up and rested an arm on the table, hand close to Darcy’s. 

“Are you talking about him?” Darcy gestured at Loki and then set her hand back down so it was brushing his. “That’s my neighbor. He's not from another world, he's English. Although, technically, I suppose Great Britain is kind of like another world. Half the time it's like we've got some sort of language barrier.” 

“Your neighbor…” Fury nodded slowly. “Tell me, does your neighbor often appear out of thin air with you in tow, Ms Lewis? Because I have video of him doing just that, not two hours ago in the desert behind your building.”

The man in the suit placed a small laptop on the table, flipped up the top, and played a grainy movie of Loki and Darcy’s arrival back on Earth. It showed the entire thing, from them popping into existence, to Loki watching her leave and teleporting away, before looping again. Seeing it actually happen made her feel terrible. Even with the poor video quality, she could tell he was hurt.

“I turned around,” she said to him without thinking. “Like, less than a second after you left. You should know that.” 

The minute the words left her mouth, she knew she’d made a monumental mistake. 

“Are we done claiming he’s your neighbor now?” Agent Coulson inquired dryly.

Loki addressed him furiously, "Watch your tone. She has done nothing wrong aside from attempting to protect me."

Coulson scratched the back of his head and shrugged his shoulders at Loki. "Unless you count lying in order to harbor an unknown entity, and being involved with the illegal operation of a dangerous and unpredictable device that can create pathways between worlds."

"Jane would never do something illegal," Darcy argued. "She's practically a Girl Scout. I bet she doesn't even remove the tags from mattresses."

She wished she could move closer to Loki, but the stupid table was barring her way.

"Be that as it may," Fury replied, "Dr. Foster _did_ open up some sort of portal between universes without considering the full ramifications of her actions. Not only that, but she inadvertently sent you through it. What if those actions had caused some sort of cosmic incident, Ms Lewis? Who would be responsible then?"

"The only incident her actions caused," Darcy retorted hotly, "was some really, really great... Nevermind. That's not important. What is important is that nothing bad happened. You can see I'm in one piece. Loki didn't come here to subjugate the planet, we're just hanging out having breakfast. So I don't really see what the problem is."

Loki was giving her a look of warning, but it came a little too late. The three men were now staring at her intently, and the one with the eyepatch looked grim.

"What exactly is your relationship with our visitor from another world, Ms Lewis?" he asked.

Before Darcy could answer, Loki abruptly stood up. She could see a bright line of silver running down the back of his hand, and realized there was a dagger hidden in his palm.

"What Darcy and I are, is none of your business," he said in a low voice. "You would do well to remember that."

“Whatever you are thinking of doing, sir, I would suggest you reconsider,” Fury said. “This conversation has been surprisingly low-key so far, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Loki cocked his head slightly, and she could see him sizing up his adversaries and deciding that they weren't much of a challenge. “I feel as if you are threatening me. That would be unwise. It would be even more unwise to threaten her.” 

The guy who had complimented her pancakes got to his feet, flexing his arms inside his tight jacket, and moving his head from side to side, making his neck crack. 

“Stand down, Barton,” Fury commanded.

For a moment, it looked like Agent Barton was going to argue, but he slowly dropped back into his seat, never taking his eyes off of Loki. 

Fury waited until he was completely settled again, and then turned back to Loki. “No one is threatening anyone here, and it will stay that way unless you give me a reason to change that.”

“Look you guys,” Darcy said. “I’m not sure what you want to hear. He didn’t come back with me to hurt anyone. We’re not dangerous. We just want to eat some pancakes, and make sure that Jane is okay.”

Nick Fury seemed to take all that in for a moment, and then motioned for the waitress to come back. “Box these up,” he said, pointing at the pancakes. “They’re getting them to go.”

“Excuse me,” Darcy said, blocking the woman from taking her plate. “But where exactly are we going?”

“You wanted to see if Jane Foster was alright. I’m going to take you to her,” he informed her.

“And where exactly is that?” Loki asked.

Fury stared at them both for a second before giving them an answer. “S.H.I.E.L.D.”


	13. Mischief and Metal don't mix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy finds S.H.I.E.L.D. to be less than awesome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to everyone who wanted to know if those bracelets would be used for naughtiness.  
> 
> 
> **************************************************

On the ride to the base, Darcy sat uncomfortably further away from Loki than she would have liked. After all the questioning on what exactly their relationship status was, she thought maybe it was better not to give their sketchy host anymore ideas. Fury was currently sitting across from them, eyeing them fiercely as they traveled through the desert terrain in a creepy, Area 51 style convoy of black vehicles.

She pretended to toy with her bracelet, and sent Loki, _Are we still good?_

He shifted and stretched, hands coming back to rest in his lap. _Of course. There is no need to worry._

 _Okay._ Darcy waited a moment, and then slid her fingers over the bracelet again. _What are you thinking about?_

A slight smile flashed across Loki’s lips. _Three things. How quickly I could disarm and subdue our new acquaintances if necessary. How long it would take me to master piloting this vehicle. And the sounds you made last night when I was inside you._

Darcy made a small, choked noise, and tried to cover it by clearing her throat. She chanced a quick glance at Loki. He was openly smirking now as he watched out the window. 

_I knew you were trouble all along,_ she sent back.

Her bracelet immediately lit up with _God of Mischief._

Darcy snorted. _You made sounds too, you know. And you are totally going to make more of them later. You know, when I get that whole reward thing you promised._

Loki turned to face her, and she shot him a quick wink. 

_Am I now?_ he replied, giving her a look that promptly melted her panties.

 _Yep. You are. I haven’t even brought my a-game yet. You know what?_ she asked.

 _What, Darcy?_ he responded, cocking an eyebrow at her.

She gave him a slow smile from her spot across the SUV. _I bet you’re a screamer._

Loki turned his head so he appeared to be looking out the window again, but she could see his shoulders shaking as he silently laughed. _I cannot believe that you called **me** trouble. I shall be expecting your, as you so charmingly put it, a-game later, mortal._

“I don’t think I want to know whatever it is that the two of you are doing right now,” Fury said, “but if you’re done, I’d like to discuss what’s going to happen once we reach the base.”

Loki sat back and regarded him. “Of course, Nicholas. We are all ears.”

Fury compressed his lips into a thin line. “I prefer Director Fury, or Nick.”

“And I prefer to use proper names,” Loki replied. “Call it a cultural idiosyncrasy.”

“I see. Well, I wouldn’t want to disrespect your culture,” Nick replied dryly. “Maybe in the interest of diplomacy, you could respect mine. After all, you’re on _my_ planet now.”

For a moment, Loki just stared at him coldly, and then he said, “Point taken, Director Fury. Although, if we are going to be using titles, you may as well call me Your Highness. As it is mine.”

Nick’s face briefly registered surprise before he was able to compose it again. Darcy was surprised too. Apparently, Loki wasn’t hiding who he was anymore. Interesting.

“Are you claiming to be intergalactic royalty?” the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. asked Loki.

“I am not claiming to be anything. The fact of the matter is that I _am_ a prince. My father is ruler of the realm I call home. Which may put into perspective for you how delicate your position is at the moment.” Loki shrugged. “I do not know how it is done on Midgard, but where I am from, it is considered impolitic to insult visiting dignitaries.”

This was a whole side to Loki’s personality that Darcy had never seen before. He was being all commanding, and princely, and in truth, she found it more than a little hot. She was totally going to kiss Jane when she saw her. Best failed experiment ever.

“Well then, Your Highness…” Nick paused. “Welcome to Earth.”

Loki completely ignored his slightly sardonic tone. “Thank you.”

“Now that the niceties are out of the way, we can get down to brass tacks. The convoy should be arriving on base in the next fifteen minutes. Once there, we will proceed directly to the R&D lab where Dr. Foster is currently employed. You are not, at any time, to leave that lab without one of my agents. Is this understood?”

“I assure you,” Loki said, “Darcy and I have no intention of wandering about your little installation.”

Nick made a sound of derision. “I’d hardly call it little. However, there’s no reason for you to know more about the interior than is strictly necessary. Once your visit has concluded, I will have a few questions for Ms Lewis, and then if my curiosity is satisfied, you will be free to go. However, I would appreciate it if you both stayed in the area. I may need to speak with you again. Are there any questions?”

Darcy raised her hand. “Yeah. When do we get to eat our pancakes? Because I am getting seriously hungry.”

“I’m sure we can find somewhere for you to eat when we arrive, Ms Lewis. Were there any other questions that are not food related?”

Shrugging her shoulders at him, she said, “Nope.”

“Good.” Nick fell silent. 

_Do you trust him? I don’t trust him,_ she sent Loki. 

_Not in the least,_ was his reply. _Stay close to me once we are inside._

She brushed her fingers over the bracelet to erase his words and send her own. _Yes, Your Highness._

Loki’s lips twitched as he read her message. _As soon as I get you alone, Darcy Lewis, I will have you panting that in my ear._

This was immediately followed by a flood of images in her head of exactly how he intended to do that. She took a shaky breath. Where had _this_ guy been for the past month?

The cuff pulsed with energy and she looked down to see _On my best behavior. It was incredibly tedious. I am never doing it again. Also, you are still touching the bracelet. If you do not wish me to read your every thought, you may want to stop doing that._

That fucker. Darcy suppressed a laugh, and then sent back, _Oh hey, Loki?_

He looked at her questioningly. _Yes?_

 _Remember that time you asked me what could possibly make me get down on my knees?_ She telegraphed a very detailed mental image through the cuff.

Loki’s stared at his wrist in his lap for a second, and then very quietly said, “Damn.”

Darcy turned to the window to hide her smile. Game, set, match. Lewis for the win.

She was still mentally celebrating her victory, when the SUV slowed to a halt and parked. Several uniformed military types popped the doors open, and they exited into some sort of indoor parking garage looking place. 

“If you could both follow me,” Fury said, starting to walk briskly towards a nearby door, “I'll take you Dr. Foster’s lab.”

“Pancakes,” Darcy reminded him. Her voice echoed around the large space.

Fury stopped, shoulders tense. “Agent Coulson, can you get Ms Lewis her pancakes?” Then he muttered, “Before I lose my mind.”

The agent in the suit retrieved their breakfast, and handed it to Darcy. “Thanks, Agent Coulson,” she said cheerfully. 

“You’re very welcome, Ms Lewis,” he replied.

She fell into step with him as they walked through the doorway into a very nondescript hallway with gray carpeting. 

“So,” she said as a few more people wearing black military fatigues strode by, “this place looks totally top-secret. Is it?”

He gave her a brief glance. “I’m afraid I can’t comment on that.” 

“Because I’m right,” she asserted. “Do you have like, aliens in the basement?”

“No,” Coulson said looking at Loki. “Just in this hallway.”

She grinned. Maybe Coulson wasn’t as lame as he first appeared.

The whole time she’d been talking to his agent, Director Fury had been having a conversation with someone on this headset thing he was wearing. She’d been mostly ignoring him, until he came to an abrupt stop and held up one hand to stop them as well. He spoke with whoever was on the other end for a few more seconds, and then turned to face them. 

“Change of plans. It looks like you’ll be getting those pancakes sooner rather than later, Ms Lewis,” he said. “Dr. Foster is going to meet us in the Level F mess hall.”

Level F was apparently super-complicated to get to. Darcy completely lost track of the hallways and elevators that were involved just to find the utilitarian cafeteria-style room. Jane wasn’t there yet when they arrived, and Fury left to go be intimidating someplace else along with Barton and Coulson, so Darcy busied herself with getting plastic cutlery and napkins. Once she had everything she needed, she plopped into the seat next to Loki and opened up their takeout boxes.

“Finally. Here you go handsome.” She handed him a fork. “Sorry they’re all cold. Next time we’ll pick a diner without nosey government agents.”

Loki poked the pancakes, spearing a chocolate chip on the end of his fork. “What is this?”

“Eat it,” she said.

“It does not look like food.”

“It’s not food. It’s a revelation. Eat it.”

“Is this repayment for the snakes?” he asked, still eyeing the piece of chocolate doubtfully.

Darcy sighed. “No. Just… Here.” She used her fork to cut off a piece of pancake, and stuffed it in her mouth. “Oh my God, even cold these are good. Mmmmmm. But anyway, see? Not poisoned, not revenge. Just yummy pancakes.”

He slowly lifted his own fork, gave the chip one more dubious glance, and then put it in his mouth. 

“Well? How’s your first experience with chocolate? Almost as good as sex, right?” Darcy bumped her shoulder against his.

“I think that would strongly depend on the sex,” Loki replied, “but you are right. It is absolutely delicious.”

“See! I knew you would like it!” she declared delightedly. “That’s why I ordered you a double stack. Well… That and I’ve seen how much you eat already. Where do you put all those calories, anyway? Your metabolism must be off the charts.”

“Should you not be eating your own pancakes?” he asked as she took another bite of his.

“I’m still making sure there’s no poison in yours,” Darcy replied. "I’m like your self-appointed royal taster.”

Before he could respond to that, the doors opened and Jane entered the room, closely followed by several agents, including Barton. 

“Oh my God! Darcy!” She flew across the room, dodging tables. “Are you okay? I mean, they said you were okay, but you’ve been gone an entire _month_! I am so, so sorry about that. I had no idea the device was going to do that. Well, technically, it was supposed to do that, but you just happened to walk in at the wrong time, and… Who’s this?”

Jane motioned towards Loki, who had set his fork down and stood up when she came in.

“Um, Jane, this is Loki. Loki, that’s Jane. Obviously. She’s my boss.”

“What a pleasure it is to finally meet you, Dr. Foster.”

Loki held his hand out, and Jane ignored it in favor of clutching the folder she’d brought with her to her chest. “Um. Hello. How do you know Darcy?”

“I brought him back with me,” Darcy explained from around a mouthful of pancake. “He’d never had pancakes before. They don’t have them on his planet.”

“I’m sorry, did you say on his _planet_?” Jane was now openly staring at Loki in disbelief.

Darcy motioned her towards a chair. “Yep. Your machine totally works. I ended up in this like, different realm. I actually think it’s not just another planet though. It’s more like a whole other dimension sort of. But anyway, Loki found me, and took care of me, and now here I am. Tada!” She held her arms out briefly, and then went back to eating.

Jane dropped into the chair, looking completely stunned. “What do you mean he took care of you? Did something go wrong? Were you hurt?”

“Oh, don't worry. It wasn't because of your bridge-thingy. When I landed on his planet I had a run in with this really big animal. You should have seen me, Jane. I didn’t have my taser, so I threw my donut at it!”

“You threw a donut at some animal? Why? And what do you mean by really big?”

“Like, bigger than a horse big. Think um...elephant, only longer, and no trunk or anything resembling an elephant, and a whole lot more legs. Basically, I had to throw my donut, because it was going to eat me.” Darcy paused to push her takeout box towards Jane. “Want some?”

“No,” Jane said, “I’m fine. Still confused, though. Can we go back to the part where you said you brought him back with you?”

She gestured towards Loki, who had returned to his chair once she’d sat down. 

“I just told you,” Darcy said. “Loki helped me get back to Earth this morning. And since he’d never had pancakes, I suggested we get some. But then this guy with an eyepatch showed up, and we had to get them to go. Are they feeding you? You look skinny. Well, skinnier than usual.” 

“You just got back from another planet, and you’re worried about how much I’m eating?”

“Um, yeah. Because I know how you are. You get all wrapped up in your mad science stuff and forget to eat. If it wasn’t for me shoving food in front of you from time to time, you’d have starved to death by now.”

“She has a point, Dr. Foster,” a new voice said, and Darcy looked up to see a guy with facial hair and a Black Sabbath t-shirt standing over by the door, listening to the conversation. 

A bluish colored light was pulsing under the fabric of his t-shirt over his chest, and he was standing with a sort of cocky confidence that she immediately appreciated. And recognized. He’d been all over TV for months.

“You’re Tony Stark,” Darcy said.

The guy moved across the room towards them. “Yep. I am. And you must be the missing intern. Danny? Dulcie?”

“Darcy,” she corrected. 

“Right, Darcy. I heard you brought back a stowaway. This him?” He jerked his head at Loki.

“You’re making it sound like I snuck him across the border in my pocket or something,” Darcy snorted. “Anyway, for the last time, Loki brought _me_ back. All I did was go along for the ride.”

“Really? Huh. So, what did that entail? Rocketship? Hover car? Ostentatious matching jewelry?” Stark motioned at the gold cuffs. 

“I would rather not explain the method we used to return Darcy to Midgard,” Loki said. “Such knowledge may put my home world in danger of attack. I’m certain you can appreciate that.”

“Oooh, you talk.” He plunked down into the seat next to Jane. “See that, Foster? The alien talks. In an British accent. Weird. Forgive me if I’m being obtuse here, but you don’t exactly scream ‘I’m from another planet’ to me. Maybe it’s the jeans, or the fact that you speak perfect English, but I’m just not feeling it.” Tony folded his arms over his chest, partially concealing the glowing light.

Loki’s eyes flicked over him, and he gave a noncommittal twitch of his shoulders. “I use the All-Tongue. It enables me to speak and understand any language.”

“Well that’s implausibly convenient,” the other man replied. “I’d say it’s far more likely that you’re highly fluent in bullshit.”

“Fortunately, your opinion of my abilities matters very little to me. Otherwise I may have taken offense to that statement, Midgardian.”

Stark smirked. “Oh yeah? Tell me, what would you do if I _had_ pissed you off, hm? Blog about it?”

“You know,” Darcy interrupted, “you’re an even bigger asshole in person than you are on TV. It’s almost impressive.”

“I’d watch the insults if I were you,” Tony responded. “Having a great rack will only get you so much leniency with me.” He stared at Darcy’s chest and pursed his lips. “It is great though. On second thought, feel free to insult me. I’m a big boy. I can handle it. In fact, I’ve got a room down the hall if you wanted to tell me off in private.”

Loki was on his feet so fast that Darcy barely had time to register it. He teleported straight to the other side of the table, kicked Tony’s chair sideways and loomed threateningly over the smartass playboy.

“I would prefer it if you did not look at her. If you find you are unable to control your eyes, I will happily relieve you of them.”

“I take it you and she are a thing?” Tony cut his eyes at Darcy, and Loki grabbed his jaw, holding his head stationary.

“You’re looking at her. Did we not just discuss this?” he hissed.

“Um, Loki?” Darcy waved both hands to get his attention.

“Yes, Darcy?” he asked, not taking his eyes off of Stark.

“There are a whole lot of guns pointed at you right now. It’s sort of freaking me out. Could you maybe let the rude millionaire go?”

“Billionaire,” Tony interjected. 

Darcy sighed and rolled her eyes. “Billionaire. Because that’s totally the most important thing to remember right now. Anyway, my point is that if you’re gonna attack everyone who comments on my boobs, or stares at them, you are going to have no time left over to enjoy them yourself.”

“I called it,” Tony said, voice slightly muffled, as Loki was still holding onto his face. “They’re a thing. Didn’t I call it, Foster?”

Jane was staring open-mouthed at the entire scenario taking place in the cafeteria and didn’t answer.

“Why does it matter?” Darcy asked. “I’m a grown-up. Loki’s a grown-up. I’m pretty sure we’re allowed to hook up without having to explain ourselves. Loki, seriously. Let him go. Guns. All over the room. Still pointed at you. And one bow and arrow. Seriously, dude?” She made a face at Barton.

Loki released Tony and straightened up. Then he glanced around the room at the group of agents standing with weapons drawn.

“See? I told you,” Darcy said. She held her hands up, and hesitantly rose from her chair. “Nobody shoot me, okay?”

Carefully picking her way around the table, she moved until she was standing behind Loki. Then she lifted one of his arms, and slid under it so she was between him and Stark.

“You have a terrible temper,” she told Loki. “Remind me never to put you on an airplane. We'll end up on the no fly list. Alright guys.” Darcy made a downwards gesture with both palms at the men with their guns still trained on Loki. “Show’s over. You can put those away now.”

Just then the door banged open, and Nick Fury strode in flanked by about ten more agents. 

“Someone want to explain to me just what the hell is going on in here?” he demanded.

“Iron Man antagonized my boyfriend,” Darcy said. “But we’re good now. Right, Loki? We’re good?”

“Did you just call me your boyfriend?” he asked.

“I can’t believe I was the one getting picked on for not focusing earlier,” she said in exasperation. “Yes. I did. Deal with it. Director Fury, can you make them put their guns down please? I don’t want to die because of my boobs.”

Fury gave some sort of signal, and all the agents put their weapons away. Darcy sighed in relief.

“Godammit, people. All I wanted to do was eat pancakes, check on Jane, and then get him naked. You have completely fucked up my entire morning, and it’s not even…” She stopped and turned to Jane. “What time is it?”

Dr. Foster checked her watch. “9:45.”

“Right. It’s not even ten o’clock yet. What the hell do you people have against me? I just got back from another planet. You’d think I’d be given at least a couple of hours to process before getting all Men in Black’d.”

“I am not a boy,” Loki said. 

She gave a very pointed glance down at his pants. “I beg to differ. _You_ are all boy. And by the way, you totally teleported through the table, and then switched your clothes into full armor, so that little cat is out of the bag now.”

“On the bright side,” Tony inserted, “it gave a lot of credence to your claim of being an alien.”

“You have no idea when to shut up, do you?” she asked him.

“None at all,” he replied.

“I can’t do this anymore. Jane, are you okay? They’re not like, holding you prisoner or anything?”

“Dr. Foster is not a prisoner,” Fury answered.

“You confiscated my research,” Jane retorted. 

“We gave you a new lab, and five assistants,” he asserted calmly. “I would say that outweighs the fact that we now have access to your research.”

“Wait. You have new assistants?” Darcy asked, feeling kind of hurt.

Jane looked apologetic. “I didn’t ask for them. They just came with the lab.”

“As charming as this little tête–à–tête is,” Fury said, sounding irritated, “I was hoping we could discuss the Einstein-Rosen bridge situation.” Then he fixed his good eye on Loki. “Without bloodshed.”

Darcy was just about to see if she could coax him back into his seat when she heard a whooshing sound in her ears, and her vision started to get very tunnel-like. The last thing she remembered was saying to Loki, “I don’t feel right.”

And then everything went dark.


	14. Don't call me Nicky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony continues to be an ass, Fury learns he's less in charge than he thinks, and Darcy learns what happens when you provoke the God of Mischief with bracelet-porn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... This chapter took forever to get done. I have perfectly good reasons though. Here they are, in no particular order.
> 
> 1\. I caught the dreaded stomach bug of doom.  
> 2\. Our internet went down. Again. (Because of Thunderstorm of the Apocalypse)  
> 3\. My phone died. Literally. DIED. I had to wait three days for a replacement.  
> 4\. My coffeemaker also died. This did not necessarily prevent the chapter going up, but seriously people...you have no idea. I was making coffee with a teapot and a filter like an ANIMAL. I was the flipping Bear Grylls of coffee. It was terrifying. 
> 
> Now, to sum up: Vomiting, no interwebs, phone death, terrifying coffee situation.
> 
> To make up for it, there will be **smut** in this chapter. You are welcome.
> 
> **********************************************************************************

“We have got to stop meeting like this,” Darcy said, opening her eyes to find Loki holding her with a look of worry on his face. 

He smiled in relief. “It is not my fault that your Midgardian constitution is so fragile.”

“Whatever, dude. I never passed out once before I met you,” she said irritably. 

“How many times have you passed out since you’ve met him?” Jane asked, voice registering shock and concern. 

“A few,” Darcy told her. “But I had a good reason for it. This was just weird. What happened?”

“According to His Highness, here,” Fury said from somewhere behind Loki, “too much inter-dimensional travel and stress in a short period of time, combined with a previous head injury, caused unconsciousness.”

“What do you mean ‘His Highness’?” Stark asked. 

“Our guest is claiming to be a prince,” Nick informed him.

Tony pursed his lips. “This just keeps getting better. Not just an alien, but a _royal_ alien What’s that like? Do you get reserved parking for your flying saucer? A VIP booth at the cantina on Tatooine?”

“That’s enough, Stark,” Fury interrupted, “Now, I’d like to get Ms Lewis down to medical so we can run a few tests.”

“Why? I’m fine now, right?” Darcy asked as Loki set her back on her feet.

“I’d prefer to know more about what happened,” Nick insisted. “Right now we only have his word for it.”

Her bracelet warmed up and she glanced down to see _This is a ploy to gather more information from you. None of the tests he wishes to perform are necessary. I believe he suspects you are pregnant with my child._

Darcy looked up at him, wide-eyed. It occurred to her that there had been a severe lack of birth control the night before. Did they even have birth control on Asgard? This was probably a question that she should have asked _before_ suggesting they sleep together. 

_I’m not, right? I mean… It would be way too soon to tell. But we were kind of, um, reckless last night,_ she sent him.

Loki’s gaze warmed with amusement. _I promise you, Darcy, I have not gotten you with child. There are very few things I have ever been reckless with. What transpires between us will certainly not be one of them._

She made an audible sound of relief and he chuckled. 

“You two are talking right now,” Tony, who had been watching them closely, surmised. “How? Telepathy?”

Fury looked extremely interested, but just said, “If you’ll come with me, Ms Lewis, I’ll get you down to the medical team.”

“Darcy has no need of your physicians,” Loki replied evenly. 

“I think I’d rather my staff was judge of that.” Nick squared his jaw.

“That is unfortunate for you,” Loki said, “as I have no intention of allowing them to run tests on Darcy. And I think you know why that is, _Nicholas_. I would prefer to take her back to her home where she can rest.”

The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. appeared to weigh his options. “We have an open room next to Dr. Foster’s. She can rest there for the time being. I’d like to have a word with you, though,” he added sharply to Loki.

Loki shook his head. “You misunderstand me. We are under no obligation to answer any of your questions. Our presence here was merely due to Darcy’s concern over her friend.” He turned to Darcy. “Are you satisfied that Jane Foster is not being held against her will?”

She nodded. “Yep.”

“Well then,” Loki declared, “we have no further need to stay.”

Nick looked apoplectic, but there was really nothing he could do about it.

“Well played,” Tony said, slowly clapping his hands. “I think you’re gonna have your hands full with these two, Nicky.”

Fury turned on Tony with a look that Darcy figured would have had anyone else shitting themselves in fear. “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Probably,” Tony replied. 

“Then go be there,” Fury ordered.

Stark got to his feet and mock-saluted him. “Sir, yes sir!” Then he turned to Loki and bowed sardonically, “You Highness. If I don’t see you or the Intern Formally Known as Missing again, this has been interesting. As for the rest of you, I’m off like a prom dress at midnight. You know where to find me if you need me.”

He sauntered out of the room.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Is he always like that?” she asked Jane.

“Worse,” Jane replied, “but he’s also brilliant with technology. He’s gotten the bridge up and running twice now, but we haven’t been able to maintain stability for more than a few seconds.”

“I don’t believe the two of you need to know about that,” Nick said. “Coulson, Barton, please escort these two back to Ms Lewis’ apartment.”

“That will be unnecessary,” Loki replied. “I will take her home.”

Fury looked as if he was going to say something else, but Darcy didn’t get to hear it, because the room disappeared around her when Loki abruptly teleported them back to her apartment.

Once they arrived at her place, he went to work locating various audio and video devices and disarming them. She watched him reach under the table and pull a tiny, disk-like object free and then crush it in his palm.

“I can’t believe they bugged my place. It’s totally creepy,” she said, as he found another camera embedded in her bookshelves, and destroyed it before tossing it into a nearby trashcan. 

“That seems to be the last of them. Come here,” Loki said to her.

She walked over, and he placed his hands on either side of her head. Magic pulsed over her scalp for a moment and then dissipated. He seemed satisfied that she was recovered.

“What now?” she asked. “I’m not crazy about the idea of staying here. Especially not without you. I can’t handle those guys if they come back, and it’s not like Jane needs me anymore.”

“No.” He frowned. “I have no intention of leaving you here on your own. You are safer in Asgard with me. We will need to speak to my mother once we return. She offered to hide you as one of her ladies.”

Darcy blinked in surprise. “You’re taking me to the palace? Really? Why not the hunting lodge?”

“I want you near me,” he said simply. “And with the coronation only days away, my duties will keep me there.”

“Are we going there now? Or do I still need to rest? Because I don’t feel tired or anything.” 

“There is no need for you to rest, but I would rather not make the return journey until I am sure you won’t be injured by it.”

“Oh. What do you want to do until then? We could watch something.” She started towards the couch and he caught her hips, pulling her body flush with his. 

“Is that truly what you wish to do right now?” Loki asked. 

A charge of excitement flashed through her. “I’m open to other suggestions. My um...my bedroom is through there.” She pointed towards the tiny hallway.

“I see.” He began backing her up towards the wall. “I will keep that in mind for later.”

Darcy gulped as he pinned her against the solid surface. “Am I about to find out if you’re a screamer?” 

“Actually,” he replied, ducking his head so their faces were on the same level. “I think you are about to find out that _you_ are.”

She had no reply for that. It all worked out though, because Loki was making it very clear with his mouth that he didn’t expect one. Darcy found herself completely lost in the driving force of his kiss. 

He’d never switched back out of his armor after his little spat with Tony Stark, and when she reached up to take his face in her hands, her fingertips closed in on the long faceguards of his helmet instead. 

“This thing,” she said, when she pulled back for air, “is ridiculously sexy, but I can’t really get to your face. Were you planning on leaving it on?”

The helmet vanished as Loki tipped her chin up and brushed his lips over hers in a slow whisper that made her whimper. “Mmmm, no. I’m afraid I was just a bit distracted by this lovely mortal minx, and forgot to remove it.”

“How distracted, exactly?” she inquired in a breathless voice.

“Darcy,” he said, hips rocking up so she could feel how hard he was, “I have wanted to have you at my mercy, screaming my name, for the past month. Last night was not nearly enough, and this morning you spent the entire trip here teasing me. At this very moment, I’m imagining at least twelve different ways in which I could remove your clothes. The one I’m currently favoring involves my teeth. Is that distracted enough for you?”

Oh hell yes. Darcy licked her lips. “Loki, I don’t care how you get them off, just do it. Right fucking now, please.”

She thought the please was a nice touch. He apparently thought so too, because the next thing she knew, Loki was ripping her clothes off her like a man on a goddamn mission. Darcy didn’t even care. He could make new ones later.

The second he had her undressed, he lifted her up against the wall so her legs were wrapped around his waist. Loki didn’t even bother to remove his armor, just reached between them so he could yank the fastenings of his leather pants free. Then he took himself in hand and began sliding his cock along her slick folds, rubbing the thick head over her clit. 

“I’m afraid I lack the patience right now to be gentle,” he told her.

Darcy clutched his shoulders. “I’m so okay with that,” she said. “Seriously, I just want you in me.”

He kept his eyes on hers, green of his irises almost swallowed up by black, as he positioned himself and slid into her with single, fierce stroke. 

“Fuck yeah," she gasped. "A girl could get addicted to that."

He pulled out, and pushed back into her with a growl. “So could a god.”

She encircled his neck with her arms, and tangled her fingers in his hair, using the leverage to kiss him. He groaned and ground against her.

“Come on, Mischief, I thought you said you were gonna make me scream,” she teased, tipping her hips forward to take him deeper. 

Loki lifted his head away, and gave her a predatory grin. “You mean like this?” he asked, grabbing her ass in both hands and setting up a pace of rough, hard thrusting. 

She wasn’t screaming, not yet. But she was definitely moaning. Loudly. If there were any more listening devices in the room, they were picking up quite a show. . 

“Lean back,” he commanded, shifting his one arm so it was fully supporting her. 

Darcy did as he asked, and he bent his head so he could reach her breasts. His lips moved over her chest, pausing to kiss her collarbone on their way up her neck. 

“You are so tight around me, my sweet little mortal,” he murmured in her ear. “So tight, and wet. I want to feel it when you come.”

“Oh my God… Loki, please…” she begged. 

He worked his free hand between them, drawing circles over her clit with his thumb. She cried out, helpless under the surge of sensation. Loki withdrew and slid home again, and her body contracted around him as her climax stormed through her.

He hadn’t lied. She was totally screaming. Mostly his name, but some other stuff too. Her poor neighbors must have been appalled. Loki never let up, coaxing her to abandon while chasing his own release. Seconds later, his eyes met hers as his rhythm stuttered, and he emptied himself inside her with a sharp groan. 

Afterwards he carried her, still wrapped around him, into her bedroom. Loki lowered her onto the bed and eased down next to her, armor finally disappearing. Darcy flipped the duvet up to cover them both, and then propped herself up on her side so she could face him. 

“So… That was unexpected, and awesome. Against the wall, hm? What brought that on?”

He grinned. “I told you. I am no longer on my best behavior.”

“If not being on your best behavior equals wallsex, then I’m all for it,” she said, grinning back. 

“That is hardly the extent of it. Prepare yourself, mortal. You have taken the God of Mischief into your bed,” he warned, eyes glinting dangerously.

“Really?” Darcy began tracing her finger down his chest, “Just out of curiosity. How much recovery time does a God of Mischief need?”

Loki rolled on top of her, grabbing her wrists and pinning them up above her head with a smirk. “None.”


	15. Hot soup with Inigo Montoya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy makes lunch, Loki makes trouble, Fezzik gains a new fan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a perfect example of me not being able to keep things safe for work. I had the best intentions. It was only supposed to be them fluffing it up while watching a movie and eating soup. I totally failed at that. As usual. ;D
> 
> ******************************************************************

Darcy was trying to find them something to eat. It turned out that after a couple of hours of highly acrobatic sex with Loki, she was starving. Plus, she never did get to finish her pancakes, because of the the whole Tony Stark incident where they had a roomful of guns turned on them. 

The thing of it was, there wasn’t much in her kitchen to work with. Being gone for a month pretty much guaranteed everything in her fridge was too terrifying to contemplate. Not that there was much inside to begin with, but still, she preferred food that didn’t look like a petri dish. She finally settled on a can of ravioli for her, and beef vegetable soup for Loki. 

At the moment, she was leaning on the counter in her kitchen, watching him investigate her apartment. He was getting into everything. Darcy supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised by that, Loki was possibly the most curious person she’d ever met. Plus, he’d neglected to conjure up more than a pair of pants after they’d showered, and she was really enjoying the view.

Loki was currently flipping through her copy of Neverwhere. “Why is this woman named Door?”

“You can borrow it,” she replied. “I think you’ll like it. Gaiman is kind of a genius with creating weird, interesting worlds and characters.”

He made the book disappear, and she assumed he sent it to wherever things went when he wanted to be able to get them again. Then he went back to ravaging her bookshelf. The microwave dinged, and Darcy absentmindedly reached in to pull their bowls out. Some of the hot soup splashed up over the inside of her wrist and she jerked her hand back.

“Ow! Fuck! Goddamn it!” She shoved the handle up on the sink, and thrust her injured hand under the cold water. 

Loki was at her side in a second. “You burned yourself?” he asked, and she nodded, wincing as the icy-cold water spilled over the red mark on her wrist.

“I blame you,” she said. “It’s super-hard to focus with you being all mostly naked.”

His lips quirked up in a smile. “Is it?” A shirt appeared over his frame at the same time he shut the water off. “Give me your hand, Darcy.”

She obediently lifted her wrist up, and he cupped his fingers around it, examining the burn. Then he bent his head and kissed the sore spot. Cool, numbing magic sank into the skin under his lips, and when it ebbed away, it took the burn with it.

Loki looked at her. “Better?” he asked, lips still close enough that she could feel the vibration of his words against her palm. 

Better? Seriously? She was three seconds away from dragging him back into the bedroom, and lunch be damned. He knew it too, she could tell. Smug bastard.

“Stop being all tall, dark, and godly. I’m trying to feed us,” she scolded. “I mean, thank you for fixing my hand. You rock. But seriously, Loki, I can’t concentrate with you looking at me like that.”

“Looking at you like what,” he asked, releasing her wrist, and stepping closer to her.

“You know what,” she replied, folding her arms over her chest. “With the whole smoldering green eyes, and smirky smile, and… Did you just make my panties disappear? Really?”

His gaze turned completely innocent. “Why would I do something like that? Perhaps you just misplaced them.”

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him. “In the past ten seconds? While having a conversation with you in my kitchen?”

“Stranger things have happened,” Loki asserted. “However, since they have so conveniently removed themselves…” He wrapped his hands around her waist in a firm grip and lifted her up onto the countertop. 

“Um…” she stammered, brain starting to cloud with lust. “Our food is going to get cold.”

Loki parted her knees and stepped between them, pushing her oversized t-shirt up her thighs. “There is no danger of that. You will be writhing in completion in less than a minute.”

“Oh yeah? That’s a lot of confidence your abilities right there, buster,” she said. 

“You think it is an empty threat?” he asked, skimming his fingertips up the inside of her leg, and dancing them over the bare skin at the apex of her thighs. “Mmmm, you are already so wet. Tell me, what put you in such a state? Were you thinking of me touching you? Using my mouth on you?” He leaned in close enough to whisper, “Or perhaps you are thinking of how it feels when I am stroking deep inside you. I know I am, Darcy.”

She shivered as Loki flicked his tongue over the shell of her ear and then pulled her earlobe into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth. His fingers began to trace teasingly through her folds.

“I love watching you take me,” he continued. “Seeing your plump lips part as you gasp my name. Feeling how your body trembles when I kiss you.”

His lips were hovering over hers now, green eyes hooded with desire. Darcy leaned forward to close the distance, and he ran his tongue over her bottom lip, making her moan. All the while, his fingers kept moving, caressing, sliding inside to fill her and then slipping back out to play coaxingly over her sensitive flesh

Loki slanted his mouth over hers, tormenting her with languid, barely-there brushes of his lips. She made a sound of frustration, and took his face in her hands, trying to turn the kiss into more.

He chuckled. “My beautiful Darcy, so very impatient. Is this what you want?” 

Then his lips were on hers, urgent and firm. She opened her mouth, and his tongue swept over hers, moving in tandem with his fingers inside her. Her hips rolled towards him, and he pressed the heel of his palm up so she could grind against it. 

Darcy’s body was thrumming under his touch. She had no idea how he'd managed it so quickly, but he totally had her on the edge of orgasm already. The tension building down low in her abdomen was becoming an almost unbearable ache as Loki worked her with his hand. 

“You’re very close,” he murmured. “I can feel you fluttering around my fingers. Come undone for me, sweetheart. I want to watch you take your release.”

That was all it took. She rocked up hard into his palm, and surrendered to the overwhelming waves of pleasure rushing through her. He waited until her breathy moans had stopped, and then stilled his hand.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” she said, forehead resting against his chest where she had collapsed afterwards. 

Loki curled his fingers, making her jump. “Keep that in mind the next time you challenge me, lovely girl.”

“Next time _you_ can challenge me,” Darcy responded. “We’ve still got some uncharted territory to cover that involves kneeling.”

“Are you offering what I think you’re offering?” he asked, gently withdrawing his hand. “Because I accept.”

She giggled. “I bet you do. Help me down, tiger. You made my legs all wobbly with your dirty talk and orgasmic bliss.”

He lifted her off the counter and set her back down on the floor. Then Loki paused, just gazing at her.

“What?” she asked, “Do I have hair stuck to my face or something?” She swiped at her cheek.

He caught her hand, and drew it down so he was holding it. “No. I was just admiring how bewitching you look right now with your skin flushed pink from my attentions.”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a little shove. “Stop wrecking me for all over men, Mischief.”

Loki picked up both their bowls of food and carried them into the living room. “You are working under a misapprehension if you think there will be other men, Darcy. Meeting them would require you leaving my bed.”

She didn’t even know what to say to that, so she settled for picking a DVD and loading it up in the player. Then she picked up his bowl and handed it to him, before plopping down on the couch and grabbing her own. 

“Why are we watching something about a sick child?” he asked, taking his first bite of soup.

Darcy paused the movie. “This is The Princess Bride. Just so you understand, it is basically my all-time favorite movie. And book. Remind me to lend it to you.” She hit play.

“He is dead? Why are they introducing this Westley person if they are only going to immediately kill him off?” Loki interrupted a few seconds later.

“Shhhhh. Look, I can’t tell you anything, or I’ll spoil it. Just watch the movie,” she replied.

“I do not like this man,” he said, making a face at Humperdinck. “Is she marrying him? The woman is terribly fickle. And now she has been kidnapped by a band of brigands. Darcy, how is this your favorite movie?”

“Loki, just Watch. The. Movie.”

He fell silent for a few more minutes. “I find the giant quite engaging. Why is he working for that odd little man?”

“I know. It's complicated. Fezzik rocks, though.”

“Will she now be eaten by eels? Truly Darcy, I do not understand your fascination with… Is the old man ruining the ending? This child is very irritating.”

For all his complaining, Darcy could see he was getting totally absorbed in the movie. Around the time they got to the Fire Swamp, Loki was leaning forward on the couch with his arms braced on his knees.

“How did she not know that was Westley? The mask hardly obscures his face. Any half-wit could see it was him,” Loki said.

“How are you not focusing on the giant rat right now?” she asked in exasperation. “Rodent of Unusual Size, Loki. I mean, look at it! It’s like the bilgesnipe of mice.”

By the end of the movie, he was actually laughing at the jokes.

“See?” she said, picking up their now empty bowls. “I told you it was good.”

“The rescue was clever, but I still do not understand why Buttercup agreed to marry Humperdinck. She could have saved them all a great deal of time and effort had she just remained faithful,” Loki replied.

“Yeah, but she thought he was dead.” Darcy squirted some dish soap in the bowls and started to wash them. “She waited five years for him to come back.”

He took the first bowl from her and magically dried it before putting it away in the cabinet. “Then it is all the more tragic she did not wait another week. I also do not understand why he did not write her once in those five years. A simple note to explain that he had not perished would have done.”

“You know this movie is a comedy, right? I just thought you’d like it because it had princes, and swordfighting, and like...bizarrely large man-eating animals. You know, sort of like Asgard,” Darcy quipped, bumping him with her hip.

“Speaking of Asgard,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. “We will need to return soon.”

“Are you sure this is gonna work?” she asked, nervously biting her lip. “I have no idea how to fit in with a bunch of royalty.”

“I don’t know about that,” he teased. “You fit with me rather well.”

She swiveled around in his arms, and poked him. “That’s not helpful. You know what I mean. I wasn’t raised in a palace like some other people in this kitchen. Maybe I ought to just stay here and take my chances with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“You have nothing to fear,” Loki assured her. “My mother will protect you, and I shall seek you out whenever I can.”

“Really?” she asked in a small voice.

“Do you doubt me?” Loki cupped her cheek in his hand. “I will keep you safe, Darcy. I swear it. Come home with me. Share my bed.”

“You’re doing the smoldery thing again, you cheater,” she said. “And using my ladyparts against me to get what you want is totally sneaky.”

He lifted her up off the ground so their faces were level. “Was that a yes?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll come in live in a palace with you, Prince of Asgard. Try to contain yourself.”

Loki flashed her a brilliant smile, and her t-shirt changed into a long, Asgardian gown. 

She dropped her head onto his shoulder with a groan. “I’m in so much trouble now, aren’t I?”

He summoned her bag from the other room, and his arms tightened around her in preparation to teleport. “That all depends on your definition of trouble.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure _you’re_ my definition of trouble, Mischief,” Darcy said.

“Well then, yes. I suppose you are in trouble,” he replied, and she could actually hear the smirk in his voice. 

“Awesome, let’s do this.”

The minute they got back in Norway, Darcy knew something was up. For one thing, there were several women with long hair and fancy gowns just like her own. For another, one of them was totally Frigga.


	16. Return to Asgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga plays it cool, and Darcy gets a title and a new face. Sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys... Have you seen the blog by the guy who reads Loki's Dirty Whispers in a sound-a-like Loki voice on tumblr?
> 
> *makes face of great secretiveness due to the naughty*
> 
> You should check it out. For...reasons. I mean, it's basically like this gif, only better. Trust me.
> 
>  

Several things occurred to Darcy when she saw Frigga standing there with a bunch of other fancy-looking Asgardian women. Firstly, Loki was still holding her. Off the ground. With her arms wrapped around his neck in a very familiar way. Secondly, Frigga, who never missed a trick, was completely focused on that fact. And thirdly, she didn’t seem surprised or upset about it. In truth, it looked like Loki’s mother was trying very hard to hide a satisfied smile, and failing utterly.

“Hello, my son,” she said, coming forward to greet them as Loki set Darcy down. “I was just about to return to Asgard to inform you of this passageway, but it would seem you are already aware of it.”

Loki gave her a wry smile that said he knew full well his mother was up to something. “Indeed, mother? How very thoughtful of you. As you can see, Darcy and I were on our way back to Asgard ourselves.”

“Oh? You are returning? How lovely. Hello, Darcy. How are you my dear?” She turned her smile on Darcy.

Yep. Frigga totally knew. Or at least she fully suspected. How completely embarrassing. 

“Um, I’m fine,” Darcy answered. “How are you?” 

“Quite well, thank you. Tell me, why did you not decide to remain in Midgard? Is something wrong?” Frigga asked a little too innocently.

“We ran into some complications,” Loki explained. “I felt that Darcy would be safer with us at the palace, and she agreed to come back with me.”

The Queen nodded. “Of course. It was wise of you to think of her safety. It does pose a slight problem, though. Your brother and Fandral have both met our little Midgardian. If she is staying at the palace, we will either need to hide her, or disguise her. Hiding her would be easiest, but I am afraid Darcy would find confinement to a single room quite unpalatable.”

“Mmm,” Loki agreed. “I was hoping we could disguise her as one of your ladies.”

Frigga cupped Darcy’s face in her hand, and frowned. “We will have to alter her appearance completely, and that is a pity. Will you mind wearing another face, Darcy?”

“I hadn’t actually thought about it. I guess not,” Darcy said with a shrug. “Whatever keeps me safe is cool with me. It might be sort of fun.”

“Well then, it is decided. I will keep her with me, and train her in the ways of the court. I believe we should provide her with a glamour immediately, before my other ladies get a good look at her. Would you like to cast the spell, or shall I?” she asked Loki.

He reached down and took Darcy’s hand in his. “I will cast it. Can you distract your women until I am done?”

“Certainly.” She turned and walked gracefully back to where her ladies stood waiting and chatting close to the mouth of the passageway.

Darcy looked up at Loki expectantly, and he took her face in his hands, stroking his thumbs over her cheekbones. “I am am loathe to cover this up,” he said, “but needs must.”

She smiled encouragingly. “Make me pretty, Mischief.”

Loki moved his hands to the top of her head, and slowly drew them over her hair, and repeated the motion over the planes of her face. She could feel the tingling magic spill over her and settle in the pathways his hands had taken. Each time she moved, or made an expression, it felt like a small field of energy moved along with her.

“The sensation will remain constant as long as the glamour is in place,” he said apologetically, “but you should grow used to it in time.”

Darcy heard a sound behind her, and turned to find that Frigga had made her way back to where they were standing. She stopped dead when she caught sight of Darcy’s new face.

“Oh Loki,” she scolded, shaking her head. “Really.”

He grinned. “What? Don’t you like it, mother?”

"You are incorrigible." 

“I don’t see what all the fuss is about,” he replied 

Frigga shook her head. " Give the poor girl a mirror. She is most likely wondering what in Yggdrasil you have done to her at this point.”

He conjured one up, and held it out to Darcy. 

She took the mirror, lifted it up to her face, and started to laugh. “Seriously?”

“Again, I do not understand what the issue is,” Loki responded, still grinning mischievously. “ _I_ think she looks lovely.”

“Yeah, you would, wouldn’t you,” Darcy said, looking at the green eyes, fair skin, and raven hair of the girl staring back at her in the mirror. She rolled her eyes, watching in fascination as the girl did the same. “This is my fault. I said make me pretty. Only you would interpret that as, ‘Make me look like you,’ I should have known.”

"Loki. You may as well have stamped your name on her." Frigga exhaled through her nose, and gave her son an exasperated look. "Sending a message to the other men in the court, are we?"

“Awww, Mischief. Are you trying to keep me all to yourself?” Darcy teased. “That’s sort of sweet.” Then she remembered Frigga was standing there. “Not that um…that matters, because we’re just friends.”

Frigga let out a peal of laughter. “Indeed. My son closely guards his friends. Come, Loki. Bring your _friend_ to meet my ladies.” She walked away, still smiling.

Loki took the mirror back from Darcy and made it disappear. “While I appreciate your attempt to protect my virtue, I expect she is well aware of our status as lovers, Darcy. There is very little that escapes my mother.” 

Darcy sighed. “Yeah, I kind of figured that. It’s sort of weird though. Like, hi, I’m totally sleeping with your son.” 

“What sleeping? I do not recall any sleeping. Feeling your silky thighs wrapped around my hips as I moved above you, yes. Watching you ride me until we were both spent, yes. Sleeping…” He pursed his lips. “...no.” 

“Knock it off, Loki. You are not allowed to talk about the stuff we did in bed when your mom is standing twenty feet away. It’s just wrong.” 

He looked to where his mother was watching them both intently, and tucked Darcy’s hand in the crook of his arm so he could lead her over to where Frigga was waiting. “I expect my mother will construct some tale regarding how we met, and where you are from. Just agree with whatever she says. Do not offer any information.” 

"I’m totally having deja vu right now,” she said, referring to his advice when they came in contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. 

“You have nothing to worry about. These women are utterly loyal to my mother. If she asks them to protect you, they will do so at the risk of their own life. The story regarding your origins will only be so that they can answer questions if asked, and keep them from having knowledge which could endanger them.” 

She blinked at him in shock. “Knowing who I am could put them in danger? Why?” 

“Knowing who you are could put all of Midgard in danger, Darcy. Should my father find out Jane Foster has created a device that can bridge the gap between our world and yours, he may find it necessary to come here and put a stop to it. I am hoping to be able to handle that myself.” 

“What do you mean, ‘handle it’?” she asked. “Why would you need to handle it? Jane has worked really hard on that project. You want to take it from her?” 

"She has, and I respect that, but at the moment it is in the hands of Fury and his soldiers. That type of technology in the hands of such people can be dangerous. What if they suddenly arrived on Asgard, armed?” Loki shook his head. “It could lead to war with Midgard. Surely you do not want that.” 

Darcy made a sound of frustration. “No. I hate the idea of you shutting Jane down, though. This project is her whole life.”

“I am not without a plan, Darcy. Can you trust me that I will do my utmost to find a way so that she can continue her research without threat?” He gazed earnestly at her. “It may take some time, but I do have an endgame in all of this. Remember, it is in my best interest to create a closer relationship between Asgard and Midgard at the moment.” 

“You are very hard to say no to,” she told him. “Did you know that?” 

“I may have heard that once or twice,” he replied, smiling at her. “Ah, here we are. Lady Darcy, may I introduce you to my mother’s household. This is Lady Ærndís, Lady Halla, Lady Káta, and this magnificent personage,” he said, motioning towards an older looking woman with a sweet, motherly face, “is the royal nanny, Rúnfríðr, but we all call her Friddy.”

“Go on with you now,” Friddy said to Loki. “Calling me a magnificent personage. The young woman will think I put on airs. Hello, my dear. Don’t trust a thing this one says. He could charm the scales of a snake.” 

She smiled indulgently at Loki, and he bent to kiss her hand. “Come now, Friddy, we both know I’m your favorite.” 

“Hmph. See what I mean? This young rapscallion is nothing but trouble.” She patted his cheek. “Always in a scrape, you were. Still are, except it’s harder to catch you at it. I hope now that we've found the two of you we can be getting back. I’ve spent half the day now chasing all over two worlds, and I am quite ready to resume my weaving by the fire. I'm not as young as I once was, you know.” 

“I think that is a fine idea,” Frigga said. “Lady Darcy must be eager to get settled after her long journey. As I have explained to you all, she came all this way from Vanaheim due to a miscast spell. It must have been quite harrowing. I cannot imagine what may have befallen her had Loki not been able to find her. She will be a welcome addition to my little household. I expect you all to treat her as such.” 

A chorus of, “Yes, my lady,” followed Frigga’s little speech. 

Darcy studied the other women curiously as they began to make their way back through the tunnel between worlds. They were all attractive, with light colored hair ranging from honey to strawberry blonde. The one Loki had introduced as Lady Halla had a smattering of freckles across her nose, and large, expressive brown eyes. The other two looked like they could have been sisters. Both had the same deep blue eyes, and patrician features. All of them were wearing similar gowns in shades of gold, with a pin clasped over the shoulder in the shape of a falcon. 

They all seemed friendly enough. None of them questioned Frigga’s story, but they didn’t press Darcy for details either. She got the impression that it didn’t matter to them if it was true or not. They accepted it because it was what their Queen had told them. She felt completely grateful for that fact. 

One thing she did notice, however, was that Lady Ærndís kept eyeing Loki. He seemed completely oblivious, chatting easily with Friddy and his mother. At one point, Darcy stumbled over some uneven ground and Loki grabbed her arm to keep her upright. He continued to hold it through the rest of the journey, and Darcy could see that Ærndís noticed. 

It wasn’t long before they’d reached the other side. There were several horses tethered to trees in the clearing surrounding the passageway. One of them was Loki’s. 

“You had no idea I was in Midgard, hm?” he said in a quiet tone to his mother. 

“I thought your horse could use some exercise,” she answered without batting an eye. 

He gazed thoughtfully at her. “You were coming to bring Darcy and I back. Why?” 

Loki, there are things we need to speak of, but now is not the time. May I ask you to just humor your mother, and know that I had my reasons?” Frigga requested. 

“Have you had a vision?” he asked. “Is there a reason why we must be here?” 

“I cannot answer that, my love. Please know that when the time is right, I will tell you all,” she promised. “For now, I would just see you both safely within the walls of the palace.”

At first Darcy thought Loki was going to keep questioning her, but he didn't. She was curious, though. Especially about the part where Loki said Frigga had visions. 

Anyway, she had more serious concerns at the moment. Like the fact that she was going to have to ride a horse. A really tall, really alive horse. Darcy knew there were girls who, for whatever reason, loved horses. She was not one of those girls. The thought that she’d be riding on something which could decide to throw her at anytime didn’t exactly endear them to her. 

Loki untied the reins and waited patiently. She realized he expected her to get up in the saddle. That so was not happening. 

“I don’t think I can do this,” she said, looking up at what seemed like miles of horse.

“Of course you can,” he encouraged. “Put your foot in the stirrup and I will help you up.” 

She glanced down at the huge hooves shifting restlessly back and forth on the ground. “Um, no. I’ll just walk. I’m great at walking.” 

“Darcy, do not be ridiculous. The palace is miles from here. You will be perfectly safe on Stjarna.” 

“Yeah, those sound like famous last words to me.” 

“Fine,” he said with a shrug, and swung up onto the horse. “Walk." 

The moment she turned her back on him, he reached down, caught her around the waist, and hauled her up in front of him. 

She made a totally undignified squeak of protest. “If I die on this horse, I am holding you personally responsible,” she complained. 

“You are not going to die, Darcy.” Loki arranged her so she was seated firmly on the saddle, and pulled her close with one arm. Then he made a clucking noise, and the time bomb underneath her started walking. 

"What if it throws me?” she asked nervously. “Or I hit my head on a tree branch?” 

"Do you have your hands over your eyes?” he asked in disbelief, tugging on her elbow until she dropped her arms. “Relax, Darcy, I have you.” 

"You don’t understand. I couldn’t even ride the ponies at the local petting zoo when I was a kid,” she explained. “I’ve kind of got a phobia." 

"Stjarna is gentle and intelligent. You have nothing to fear from him.”

The horse’s ears swiveled around when he heard his name, and he made a whuffley snort. 

"There. See?” Loki said. “He is saying hello.” 

“Hey horse,” Darcy replied. “Please don’t kill me.” 

Loki chuckled. “What will I do with you?” 

“Teleport?” she suggested hopefully. 

He made a sound of agreement. “I suppose in the future I will have to, although that is truly too bad. I am enjoying the way you feel clasped so tightly against me. It’s rather arousing.” 

“Remember when we talked about cheating earlier? You’re totally doing it again,” she said accusingly, turning halfway around to look at him. 

“You should accustom yourself to it, as I have no intention of stopping,” Loki replied, smirking. 

She sighed. “I was afraid of that.” 

Eventually the forest gave way to open ground, and Darcy was suddenly faced with the soaring pinnacles of the palace. It was way bigger than she’d imagined. She wondered again how on Earth they were going to pull this off. Disguise or not, she was clearly not Lady material. 

“Yes you are,” he murmured in her ear. 

She realized that she’d been fiddling with the bracelet due to her sudden onset of nerves. “You really think so?” she asked. 

“I think you will turn the court on its head, and I shall delight in watching it.” Loki steered the horse into a yard between the palace and what looked like stables, before dismounting and lifting her down. Then he turned her to face the doors, and threaded his fingers securely through hers. “Welcome to my home, Lady Darcy.” 


	17. Inga Sucks (and not in the good way)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy learns some valuable lessons regarding eating garnish and palace intrigue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... This chapter took forever, but it is over six thousand words, so I hope everyone can forgive me. I just had a lot of plot to um...plot. Yep. Plot. All over the place. :D
> 
> Plus some new characters. And sibling rivalry. (because you knew that was coming)
> 
> *****************************************************************************

Darcy had barely been in the palace five hours, and already she wanted to go home. So far, she’d managed to completely mangle a pillow she was supposed to be embroidering, insult five other members of the court, trip and fall into a decorative fishpond Frigga had in the middle of her sitting room, and get hopelessly lost on her way to the dining hall.

Why anyone would have a fishpond in their sitting room was beyond Darcy, but then again, she had no idea people still had sitting rooms either. The whole incident was why she got lost trying to find the dining hall. They were on their way to dinner, and she fell in, and that required getting changed.

Without Loki there to magically make her clothes, getting changed meant that she needed help. Asgardian gowns were pretty, but insanely impractical. Plus, there were all these undergarments that went with them. Something Loki had neglected to make for her previously. Not that she was surprised. That sneaky bastard. 

It took forever for the maid to get her out of her wet dress and into a dry one. After that, her hair had to be fixed again, and by the time she finally came out of the palatial bathroom, everyone else had left to eat. Darcy asked the maid for directions, but already knew she was in trouble by the third left...or was it the fourth right? Whatever. She had no idea where she was. That was the important part.

Three hallways that only led to other endless hallways later, she gave up and ran her fingers over her bracelet. _Hey Mischief, don’t freak out, but I’m totally lost in this labyrinth you call home._

Seconds later, his reply came back. _Remain where you are. I am coming._

Darcy felt her cuff swirl with energy, and then give a strong tug. Clearly he was using it to locate her. Within in moments, she could hear footsteps and then he came striding around a corner, smiling. She sighed in relief.

“I heard you went swimming earlier,” he said. “Had I known you wished to bathe, I would have taken you to the bathing pool in my rooms.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “It wasn’t my fault. You made my dress too long, and it got caught around my sneaker. Speaking of that, do I have these shoes laced up right? They were kinda confusing.”

He knelt down and lifted her foot up so it was braced on his knee, then he deftly flipped her skirt out of the way and checked the leather buckle straps criss-crossing her calves. Darcy watched him change the way they were configured before re-buckling them. Then he switched to the other foot. Once he had finished, Loki traced a finger lightly over the exposed skin between the straps.

“Will you come to my rooms tonight?” he asked.

Before she could answer, there was a commotion in the hall ahead of them, and a group of people came into view. Darcy recognized his brother, Thor, and the guy with the ridiculous facial hair. There was also a woman dressed in some sort of armor, a guy who looked Asian, and another heavyset man who seemed older than the rest of them, with a long, reddish-brown beard. 

Loki quickly set her foot on the floor, and stood up as her dress swished back into place. It was too late, though. Darcy could tell the entire group had seen them. 

“Brother! How fortunate to have found you. Your manservant said you had already made your way to the dining hall.” Thor’s eyes traveled over to Darcy. “I do not believe I have met your companion. I am Thor, Prince of Asgard.”

Darcy made a nervous and somewhat clumsy curtsy. “Um, Lady Darcy Njordsdöttir.”

He took her hand and kissed it. “I am charmed indeed. Njordsdöttir? Are you from Vanaheim?”

She racked her brains trying to remember the cover story Frigga had created for her. “Yes. From Starkadsgarth. It’s on an um...a fjord. You know, water and cliffs and stuff?”

“I am familiar,” Thor replied, straightening up. “What brings you to Asgard?”

“Mother has taken her under her wing. I believe she is training her to be one of her ladies,” Loki answered smoothly.

“Indeed?” Thor smiled. “Welcome to Asgard then, Lady Darcy. It would seem you have already met my brother, but allow me to introduce my friends. This is Volstagg.”

The huge red-bearded man clasped her hand warmly for a moment. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Darcy.”

“The Lady Sif.”

Lady Sif gave her a noncommittal smile. “Such an honor to be taken on by Queen Frigga. I hope you will enjoy your time at court, Lady Darcy.”

“The brooding warrior just behind her is Hogun, and this braggart is Fandral,” Thor continued, slapping Fandral on the back. “He is to be avoided at all costs if you value your virtue.” 

Both men laughed uproariously. Darcy tried not to roll her eyes.

“What a great pleasure it is it meet you, Lady Darcy,” Fandral declared, maintaining eye-contact as he brushed his lips lingeringly over the back of her hand. “I look forward to knowing you better.”

Darcy could feel the tension rolling off Loki in waves. She withdrew her hand the second Fandral’s grip relaxed. 

“Yeah, it’s great to meet you too. Prince Loki was just helping me find the dining hall,” she said, hoping that would be enough to get the guy to back off.

“Ah,” Volstagg said happily. “We were on our way there as well. Perhaps you can accompany us!”

“Are you ever not on your way to the dining hall?” Fandral asked him.

“I could say the same of you and the pleasure house,” Volstagg replied. 

Sif snorted. “Both of you would do well to learn some moderation.”

“Friends, may I remind you that we have a guest? Perhaps give her time to settle in before making her aware of all our faults,” Thor said genially. “May I offer you my arm, Lady Darcy?”

She wasn’t sure what to do. Refusing him didn’t seem like an option. He was the Crown Prince of Asgard. Darcy flashed Loki a panicked look, and he gave a quick nod of acquiescence, jaw clenched. So, she took Thor’s arm, and they all headed down the hall.

He started up a conversation immediately. Asking her about her home on Vanaheim, and how she’d gotten the post with his mother. Darcy answered as best she could, keeping things simple the way Loki and Frigga had cautioned, and trying to mimic the way the rest of them were speaking. It was hard, though. She kept slipping up and using her own normal vernacular.

Loki was walking on the other side of her, practically gritting his teeth. Thor had to have noticed that he was making his brother uncomfortable. He couldn’t he really be that oblivious, could he? Maybe he just felt so entitled that it didn’t even occur to him. Darcy wasn’t sure.

She kept catching Fandral staring at her. It was making her even more uncomfortable than being forced to walk to dinner with Thor. Loki had really only altered her face and hair with the glamour. The rest of her body was basically hers, and the spare gown she was wearing was sort of low-cut. Fandral seemed to be appreciating the view to a point where she wondered if Loki might stab him.

Casually pretending to straighten her cuff, she messaged Loki. _Hey there, Mischief. Just wanted to remind you that no matter who walks me down to dinner, I’m going home with you tonight._

His head bent as he surreptitiously read, and then his eyes flicked up at her in a sultry glance full of promise. _I look forward to it, mortal._

Thor had begun recounting some tale involving a battle in another realm where he and Fandral had apparently single-handedly defeated every bad guy ever. Darcy found herself fighting the urge to yawn. Fortunately, they arrived at the dining hall before she could actually fall asleep.

She had never seen such a massive room. The ceiling soared, and the walls were hung with banners and tapestries. What looked like at least a hundred long trestle tables were lined up between rows of pillars, each lengthy surface covered in a variety of different foods. Some of them she recognized from what she’d eaten when she and Loki stayed in the hunting lodge, but the rest was all foreign. 

Thor guided her to an empty seat near Frigga’s other ladies, and kissed her hand again. “I thank you for your company, Lady Darcy.”

“Right. Nice to meet you.” Darcy wanted to sit down, but he was still holding onto her hand.

“May I show you around the palace gardens after the meal?” he inquired, giving her a blazingly bright smile.

Oh shit. This was so, totally not good. “Actually, I thought I might just go to bed. Thank you, though.”

“It seems a shame to waste such a fine night,” he pressed. “You may find the fresh air invigorating.”

Darcy tried again to get rid of him. “Air is good, but I’m going to have to take a raincheck. Sorry.”

She could see Frigga watching them carefully from a few seats away, and shot her a look begging for help.

“Forgive me, my son,” the Queen intervened, “but I believe Lady Darcy may wish to rest after her long journey.”

Thor appeared slightly chastised. “Of course. How thoughtless of me. Perhaps another time, then.”

“Sure. Maybe,” Darcy told him, finally succeeding in tugging her hand free. “Anyway, don’t let me hold you up from your dinner.”

Not seeming to be deterred, Thor pulled her chair out for her. He waited until she sat to make his goodbyes, and disappeared into the crowded room. She assumed he’d gone off to find his friends, or possibly an easier conquest. Darcy really didn’t care as long as he left her alone.

Her right hand neighbor was a really talkative young girl named Inga. She seemed to have her pulse on all the palace gossip. Darcy probably would have found it really interesting, except she had no idea who the people were being talked about, and the girl kept punctuating all her sentences with this shrill, nervous giggle.

After about twenty minutes of politely nodding, Inga finally turned the conversation around on Darcy. “Seated by Prince Thor himself, you must feel so honored.”

“Sure. I’m totally honored,” Darcy said absently, trying to decide if the greenish leafy thing on her plate was a vegetable or garnish.

“He has never so much as spoken to me, and I have been at the palace for nearly three years. How did you catch his eye in so short a time?” Inga asked, large cornflower blue eyes fully focused on Darcy.

“We met in the hallway while his brother was showing me the way down here,” Darcy replied. “I got lost trying to find it. This place is enormous. How does anyone figure out how to get around?”

“You get used to it,” Inga said, dismissively waving away Darcy’s question. “I am sorry, did you say Prince _Loki_ was assisting you to find the dining hall?”

“Yeah. Why?” She decided the green thing was a garnish, and moved on to something that looked like potatoes.

Inga made a sound that could only be described as a titter. “It is just that Prince Loki is so terribly solitary, and unpopular. In truth, most of the ladies at court avoid him.”

Now Inga had Darcy’s full attention. And irritation. “What do you mean he’s unpopular? He seems nice enough to me.”

“Oh, well, I suppose that may be true. If one can get past his tricks, but…well, just look at him and look at his brother. They are different as night and day. Thor is comely and fair, and Loki is so small and dark. On the practice field there is no comparison.” Inga shrugged. “They say there is a reason why Loki studied magic. You and I both know it is a woman’s art.”

Darcy struggled with the impulse to dump her plate on the girl’s head. What the hell was wrong with these people that they couldn’t see how gorgeous Loki was? “He’s over six feet tall. I wouldn’t exactly call that small. And personally, I like the way he looks.”

Inga drew back, surprised by Darcy’s anger. “Well, of course, I had not meant to offend you. Especially since the two of you are so similar in appearance. I should have chosen my words with more care.”

Oh. Right. Darcy kept forgetting that he’d altered her appearance to match his. 

“Indeed,” Inga continued, fiddling with the stem of her glass before giving Darcy a speculative glance, “a few of the other ladies and I had wondered if perhaps there was a reason for that?”

Darcy started. Crap. Had people already guessed they were together? How? They had barely seen each other since she’d arrived. She took a sip of wine to steady her voice before asking, “What do you mean?”

“Ah, well…not to be indelicate, you understand, but Prince Thor has sired several children illegitimately. Most of them were brought to the palace at some point. The ones of more noble birth always seemed to find their way into the Queen’s service, while the lesser were given places among the servants. None of us has ever heard of Prince Loki siring any children outside of the bonds of marriage, but that does not mean he has not.” Inga gave her a pointed look.

“I’m sorry,” Darcy responded, practically choking on her sip of wine, “are you saying that you think Loki is my _father_? Seriously? Just because we look alike? Plenty of people have black hair and green eyes. That doesn’t mean they’re all related.”

“Of course, but you must admit, you speak of him in familiar way. Also, there is a rumor being bandied about that he was the one who brought you to court. I generally hold no stock in such whisperings, but your arrival _has_ been shrouded in mystery. Lady Ærndís has said you were found in Midgard due to faulty spellwork.” Inga leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Have you magic as he does?”

All Darcy could think of, was that if did have magic, she totally would have turned this girl into a bug already. “No. I can’t use magic. And Prince Loki isn’t my father,” she added, making sure to use his title this time. “I think maybe you and Lady Ærndís need to get your stories straight before go around talking about people behind their backs, because you have shit for logic.”

Inga sat up, looking completely shocked by Darcy’s anger and language. “I apologize…” she began.

“Yeah, you’d better apologize,” Darcy snapped. “I just got here, and I don’t need to be the center of a bunch of ridiculous rumors. For the record, yes, I was found on Midgard, and yes, it was Loki who helped me get back. He’s decent, and kind, and I think it’s probably a really bad idea for you to go around insinuating things about him simply because he picked magic over a stupid, gigantic hammer. Ever wonder if maybe his brother is overcompensating for something with his choice of weapons?”

By the end of her tirade, the other girl was gaping at her. Darcy slammed her cup back down on the table, and picked up her fork.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to eat this...whatever the hell it is,” she stabbed the green leaves and chewed them with a vengeance.

They were totally garnish, but there was no way she was spitting them out in front of Inga the Idiot. Darcy was going to swallow those damn leaves if it killed her. Hopefully they didn’t kill her. What were the odds that the cooks would garnish the plates with poisonous plants, right? 

That was pretty much the end of conversation with the other girl. She suddenly seemed to find the people across the table very interesting, and within moments was engrossed in talking with them. There was a big, sandy-haired guy sitting to Darcy's left, but he didn’t seem to be much of a conversationalist. After a few useless attempts to make small talk with him she gave up, and went back to figuring out what things on her plate were actually edible.

Halfway through the meal her head started to throb. There was just too much chatter, too much weird looking food, and too much worrying over which fork went with which course for her to able to relax. In addition, Frigga had been right. Darcy was exhausted. The whole day had been one stressful event after another. 

To make matters worse, there was a seriously imposing guy with an eyepatch sitting next to Frigga that Darcy was pretty sure was King Odin. He’d been intently studying her off and on through the whole meal. It was completely unnerving despite all the friendly, encouraging looks from Loki’s mom.

What was with one-eyed guys anyway? Did they all perpetually wear a look of being semi-pissed off? Odin appeared even less approachable than Fury, if that was even possible. And seriously, how did she go her entire life with zero creepy eyepatch dude interactions, and now she’d met two pirate wannabes in as many days? What were the odds?

Not that she’d met Odin exactly. Hopefully she could just avoid that until things got fixed, and she could go back to Earth. Thinking of Earth reminded her of all the fun she and Loki had gotten up to back at her place. The part on the counter was especially amazing. Not that the rest of it hadn’t been. Damn he was good.

She realized she’d been fidgeting with the cuff right about it the time it warmed up with a message from Loki. _You are making it very hard for me to eat, mortal._

Darcy mentally face-palmed. _Sorry, sorry. I keep forgetting not to touch it while I’m thinking._

 _I assure you, Darcy, I am not complaining_ , he sent back. _Watching you take your pleasure this morning was exhilarating. Feeling it from your point of view, even more so. And knowing you wish we were alone right now so that I could have my way with you on this table…_ Loki sent a decidedly smug vibration through the cuff.

 _Knock it off, Mischief._ she said. _People who made me sit with a bunch of strangers for dinner do not get to enjoy my fantasies about having sex on this table._

Within moments, her bracelet flickered to life with his response. _You must know that I would have preferred to sit with you, rather than with my brother. He is currently recounting tales of his valor on Svartálfaheim, conveniently omitting the fact that I saved his skin twice in as many minutes. How are you getting on?_

_You don’t really want me to answer that,_ she replied. _Where are you, anyway?_

_Look down the table to your left._

She leaned forward and searched for Loki while pretending to sip her drink. After a few seconds of her eyes skipping from person to person, she found him seated at the far end of the table next to his brother and their friends. 

He arched an eyebrow and saluted her with his cup. _Hello, Darcy._

 _Hey, Mischief._ She wiggled her fingers in a tiny wave.

 _You look as if you could use some quiet,_ Loki sent. _Shall I come rescue you?_

Darcy smiled gratefully at him. _That would be awesome._

Loki promptly set his cup on the table and stood up, causally ambling towards her end of the table. He paused by his mother, setting his hand on her shoulder. They had a brief, quiet conversation, and Frigga turned to smile at him, nodding. He said something else, and then made his way down to Darcy, holding out his hand when he reached her.

“My mother says you are tired. May I escort you to your rooms, Lady Darcy?”

She happily took his arm and let him lead her out of the noisy hall, ignoring the fact that Inga was staring with yet another stunned look on her face. “Thanks. I don’t know how much more of that I could take. Is every meal a huge event?”

“We sometimes dine privately, but my father prefers that we take meals with the court. He believes it is good for them to see us, and us them,” Loki said.

“Oh.” Darcy made a face. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be grumpy about it. You and your mom have been so nice. It’s just been a really long day, and my head hurts. Plus the whole thing with your brother was completely awkward. He wanted to take me for a walk in the garden or something after dinner, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Your mom finally had to tell him to back off.”

“My brother wanted to take you outside alone?” he asked sharply.

“Yeah. Was he dropped on his head as a child or something? Because subtle is completely lost on him. You guys couldn’t be more different.” She looked up at Loki, and was surprised by his stormy expression. “Um...you okay?”

“Darcy, you do not understand the implications of my brother attempting to get you on your own, but I do. Thor did not merely intend to show you the gardens,” he said angrily.

“Yeah, I kind of figured he was hitting on me.” She shrugged. “Like I said, he has no concept of subtle. It was no big deal though. I mean, no harm done.”

“No harm done?” he fumed. “Thor saw me touching you in a very familiar way. Now he attempts to win you himself? How can you say there is no harm in that?”

“Look,” she said, tugging him to a halt so she could move around in front of him. “I don’t know what weird sibling rivalry situation I’ve just been put in the middle of, but I’m not in some garden with your brother. I’m right here with you. He’s not my type, Loki. _You_ are. You know, with your black hair, and your green eyes, and your alarming propensity to wear black leather...”

She was cut off by his mouth covering hers. It took her a second to catch up, but soon Darcy was kissing him back with an urgency that matched his own. When they finally broke apart, she was gasping for air.

“Wow, so sibling rivalry really gets your motor going, huh? Wanna talk about it? I still haven’t seen those gardens,” she poked him ribs. “We could go find a secluded bench somewhere.”

Loki’s somewhat desperate expression began to relax. “We could do that. Are you sure you are feeling up to it?” He stroked his hand down the side of her face. “I thought you said your head was bothering you.”

“Not so much now,” she said, letting her eyes close as she leaned into his touch. 

“Regardless,” he replied, fingers warming with magic against her skin, “there is something I would like to do first.”

She could feel him lifting the glamour, and the last vestiges of her headache went with it. 

“There you are.” Loki smiled. “I was missing your lovely face.”

Darcy gave a happy sigh at having the constant tingle of the spell removed. “That is _so_ much better. What if someone sees, though?”

“No one will,” he assured her. “I know all the secret spots in the gardens that people rarely stumble onto.”

“I bet you do,” she teased. “How many girls were you sneaking around in the gardens with, Loki?”

He grinned. “Would you believe me if I said you were the first?”

“Nope,” Darcy replied. “I can just see you seducing some poor girl under a rose bush or something.”

“You cannot be serious. Rose bushes are the least amenable plant to seduce a person under. If I had to suggest something for that, it would be a weeping cherry,” he informed her. “The branches are very concealing with exponentially less thorns.”

“See? You’ve totally done this before,” she said. “I knew it.”

“When you say before, does that mean you are suggesting that I do it again?” Loki cocked an eyebrow at her. 

“Maybe,” she said, “but only if you tell me what’s going on between you and hammer-boy first.”

“It will be morning by the time we even scratch the surface on that,” he responded dryly.

“Whatever. No naked mortal until you explain what the deal is. That’s my final offer.” Darcy folded her arms over her chest and waited.

“You drive a hard bargain, Lady Darcy,” Loki said, letting his gaze drift over her in a way that made her breath hitch. “Fine, have it your way, but know that I will hold you to it.”

“Like I’m going to say no,” she retorted, rolling her eyes. “Please, Loki, don’t have totally mind-blowing sex with me later.”

He chuckled. “It is mind-blowing?”

“Yes, and you know that already. Stop fishing for compliments. Also, this still looks just like a hallway and nothing like a garden. Make with the teleporting, Mischief.” Darcy snapped her fingers impatiently.

“Such a demanding little thing,” Loki said, putting his arms around her. “You ought to watch your tongue. I could have you chained up for insolence to a member of the royal family.”

She stretched up on tiptoes so she could reach his ear, and whispered, “How do you know I wouldn’t like it?”

The arms around her tightened and he made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl. “Continue like that, and I shall have you right in this hallway.”

“That’s not part of the deal,” she replied, hoping he couldn’t tell how he’d just magnetized her panties to the floor.

“You will be the death of me,” Loki sighed. “Hold on, Darcy. I may need to keep shifting until I find somewhere devoid of people. This is not a conversation I would have overheard.”

She kept herself pressed close to his chest as he teleported them into the gardens. Just as he’d said, it took several tries to find a place with no one in the immediate vicinity. Eventually they materialized in front of a crumbling stone folly half lost in greenery. 

“So,” Darcy said, stepping out his embrace, “this looks remote.”

Loki nodded. “It is more or less forgotten by anyone but me. I used to play here often as a child. When I grew older, I came here when I needed to be alone with my thoughts or practice my magic in peace.”

“Didn’t get a lot of personal space at the palace?” she guessed.

“No. There are very few free moments for the son of a king. Even one who is only second in line for the throne,” he said, a slightly bitter thread running through his words.

Loki hopped up on a partially tumbled down stone wall, and strolled along the uneven surface, balancing as gracefully as a cat. Darcy walked along next to him on the ground.

“How much older than you is Thor?” she asked.

“Just a few years. My birth is rarely spoken of as my father was in the midst of war with Jötunheim at the time. It is a wonder I was conceived at all, what with him being away so often on military campaigns. As I understand it, I was born as he was defeating Laufey. My father returned with the Casket of Ancient Winters, and my mother presented him with me. Sometimes I believe that I was the lesser prize.”

“You don’t really think that, do you?” Darcy said, frowning.

He smiled sadly. “You do not know my father. The Jötunns are a longstanding and formidable enemy. You’ve seen them. They’re monsters. All of the Nine Realms were under threat as long as Laufey retained control of the cask. My father’s victory saved them all from a Jötunn invasion. By comparison, I was a small and somewhat weak babe. Friddy said it was some time before they were even sure I would live, and even then, I never became the sturdy, active child that my brother was.”

“Not all kids are the same,” she argued. “That’s just how things are. I don’t understand why it matters.”

Loki dropped down and sat on the wall, helping her up to sit next to him. “My father had no idea how to engage a child who had little interest or proclivity in the things he found important. I was studious and quiet, while Thor was boisterous and rowdy. He and my brother shared a bond of common interest I could not hope to breach. They would go hunting, or spend hours on the practice field, while I read and honed my skills with magic.”

“So? Why is it so bad to have one kid that wants to study instead of fight? Besides, look at you now. You’re not exactly girly,” Darcy said, giving him an admiring glance. “I’ve seen you naked you know. You’re pretty damn masculine.”

“Perhaps to the eyes of a Midgardian I am, but I assure you, that is not the way most Asgardians would see it. I wield magic and fight with daggers, neither are considered the weapons of a man. There is also the fact that I look nothing like the other members of my family, or the accepted standards of male attractiveness on Asgard. Women flock to Thor. They flock to Fandral. They come to me usually for two reasons. Either to get closer to my brother, or because they have been rejected by him, and I am the next best available prince.” Loki stared into the gathering darkness. “Fandral often calls me a spare pot. What woman willingly aspires to that?”

Darcy was just floored. She couldn’t imagine anyone picking Thor over Loki. What the hell was wrong with this place? 

“I don’t get it.” She turned, and brought one leg up on the wall so she could face him. “Loki, you’re gorgeous. Sometimes I look at you, and it’s hard to breathe. That’s how much you affect me. Plus, you’re hilarious, and smart, and can do amazing things. So what if you use your head more than your fists in battle, or if you don’t look like a lumberjack with a hammer. Fuck the people who don’t get it. And just between you and me, you’re way better at seducing a girl than Thor is. He’s so obvious. I mean, he practically hit me over the head and dragged me off to his lair earlier.”

“You do realize that I dragged you off to a hunting lodge after you’d suffered a head injury?” Loki asked with a wry smile.

“You didn’t inflict it,” she countered. “You very bravely saved me from a monster and then patched me up afterwards. You even carried me to the bathroom, and kept me from drowning. If that isn’t the definition of courage, and chivalry, I don’t know what is.”

“Well,” he allowed, “you were quite formidable in the bath.”

“Shut up,” she said, knocking her shoulder into his. “You have no idea how freaked out I was. Let’s put you in a situation where you are naked and helpless with a stranger from another planet, and see what happens.” 

He grinned at her. “You were so beautiful in your fury.”

“I _knew_ you were checking me out!” Darcy declared. “Very sneaky, Loki. You are also trying to change the subject right now. Don’t think I hadn’t noticed that. We were talking about why Asgard is completely ass-backwards because nobody realizes how hot you are.”

Loki laughed. “I know no one else who speaks the way that you do.”

“Yeah, I get that on Earth too,” she replied. “I have this little problem where my mouth likes to circumvent the filter in my brain. Anyway...back to you, and why you think you aren’t attractive.”

He made a sound of dissent. “It is not that I do not find myself attractive. I suppose I am comely enough, if not what most women here seek out in a man, but… It is hard to explain. There are times when it almost feels as if my skin is not my own. As if the person underneath does not match what is seen on the outside. I sometimes wonder if this is why I feel so comfortable with shape-shifting magic. Altering my appearance has almost always been second nature for me.” He looked at her absorbed expression and paused. “I fear that I am not making any sense.”

“No,” she said, “actually you’re making tons of sense. I can completely understand body issues. Try getting boobs in the fifth grade. I spent years trying to cover them up or hide them. Even now I kind of gravitate towards baggy clothes even though I’ve come to terms with my curves. Old habits die hard.”

Loki stared at her in disbelief. “Why would you want to hide them? Your body is magnificent, a thing of beauty.”

She smiled. “Well, so is yours, dumbass.”

“Touché,” he said.

“I love when I get the better of you. It’s seriously hard to do. Anyway, now that we’ve both decided we’re pretty, explain to me why Thor thought it was okay to hit on a girl he saw his brother was interested in? That’s kind of a douchebag move.”

“Thor seldom restrains himself from doing what he wants. He may have approached you simply because he saw I was interested, and he can rarely resist competition, or it is possible he did not see what happened in the hallway. I am not sure.” Loki shifted his shoulders pensively. “I do not like to think that he would purposefully do that. Despite our differences, we have always been close. That is why my displeasure over him being made king is so difficult for me. I want to be happy for him, for Asgard. In truth, I should trust my father’s decision.”

“But you don’t,” Darcy said. “Why?”

“I see no evidence that he is ready for such a responsibility. Ruling a kingdom requires patience, and levelheadedness. He has very little of either.”

“And you have lots of both,” she asserted. “So why didn’t your dad pick you?”

“Thor is older. I suppose my father could have changed the line of succession, but it has always been expected that my brother would rule someday. As it stands, someone needed to be chosen before my father lapsed into the Odinsleep. Why would he not choose the son most like himself?” The bitterness was back in Loki’s voice, and Darcy’s heart hurt for him. “We shouldn’t even be speaking of this. I told you before that it is treasonous. The decision has been made and I must live with it.”

She chewed on her lip as she thought all this over. Asgardian politics weren’t much different from any other monarchy, really. The person best fitted to rule wasn’t always the person who got the job. It wouldn’t help anything for her to question what had been done, or to push him to change it. Loki was right. There was a fine line between wondering if the wrong decision had been made, and outright treason. Sometimes even wondering was right over that line, especially when you were next up for the throne. 

“The coronation is in three days?” she asked.

“Yes. Visiting dignitaries should begin arriving tomorrow. There will be much for me to do, but I promise to find time to see you,” he answered. “I am sure you will be present for the celebrations and ceremony. My mother will see to it that all her ladies are. It would be against protocol otherwise.”

“Okay,” she replied, trying to stifle a yawn and failing.

Loki slid off the wall, and took her hand. “I believe this has been a very long day for you. Shall we find the remedy?”

She slid down next to him with a smile. “Bed?”

“Bed,” he affirmed. “Which begs the question, yours or mine?”

“Hm,” she said, slipping her arms around his neck. “Why don’t you surprise me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys see my awesome new profile picture? WITH MY NAME ON IT????? Hanna (hannatude) made if for me. Isn't she flipping awesome? Holy Cats, you guys, I love Hanna. :D


	18. The Great Boat Seduction  AKA It's a Longship, dammit!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy finds out why guys with magic do it better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, this is NSFW. That's about it. :D
> 
> ************************************************************

Spending the night with Loki certainly had its perks, Darcy decided as she crept stealthily back into his bedroom from the bathroom. First of all, he turned out to be incredibly snuggly. Every time they rolled apart all night long, he’d come looking for her and wrap her back up in his arms again. She wasn’t even sure he knew he was doing it, because he seemed to be asleep, but it was awesome anyway.

Then there was the fact that he slept naked. _And_ kicked off the covers. Which meant that she had quite the view on her way back to bed. Darcy still didn’t get why no one else on this stupid planet thought he was as gorgeous as she did. She was pretty positive that V on his abdomen should be illegal. But since it wasn’t, she was totally going to lick it when he woke up. Maybe she’d lick it _to_ wake him up. Options. Darcy had them.

She was just slipping back into bed, when his green eyes opened and focused on her.

“Mmmm, good morning, Darcy. Did you sleep well?” Loki stretched his arms up over his head, and then ran his fingers through his hair, completely rumpling the silky, black strands.

She smiled at him, and reached over to finger-comb them back down. “No, I was too aware of the really sexy guy in bed with me to do more than sort of doze, but I’ll be okay. Besides, it was totally worth it.”

He pulled her down onto his chest with a smirk. “I will try to be less sexy tonight so that you can sleep.”

“You realize that’s impossible, right? Anyway, like I said, I’ll be fine. We spend half the day sitting around sticking needles in pillows. It’s not exactly strenuous.” Darcy leaned over to kiss Loki, and then slid down alongside him so that she lying on her back with her head resting on his chest. “What happens if someone shows up at my door? I mean, won’t the maid want to get in and do maid things? She’ll see I’m not there.”

“It is still very early, and I have warded your door. Should someone knock, or enter, I shall know it immediately,” he replied. 

“You think of everything,” Darcy said, cuddling next to him.

She caught sight of his bedframe and had to bite her lip not to giggle. It had been fairly dark in the room the night before, and she’d sort of been busy getting his clothes off, and hadn’t really paid much attention to her surroundings. Apparently _all_ the beds on Asgard were shaped like giants boats. At least all the ones she’d seen. Although this one really sort of took the cake. It was gold. And huge. And surprise, surprise, all the bedding was green.

“Are you staring at my bed for a reason?” he asked, following her line of sight with his eyes.

“It’s a boat.” The giggle threatened to escape.

“Technically, it is a Longship,” Loki corrected. 

“Riiiiight. Is that another word for boat?” she asked, openly snickering now.

His lips twitched. “Yes.”

“It’s...nice. Very nautical. I like the dragon head thingy on the...the um…”

“Prow?” he offered, and she lost it. 

“Your bed…” she gasped out between giggles, “...has a prow. My bed at home has a quilt. Yours has a masthead.”

Loki rolled on top of her, pinning her down. “I heard no complaints about my bed last night. There was quite a bit of calling on various deities, including myself, by not a single word about my bed.” 

Darcy giggled again. “I totally took your name in vain while we were having sex. Sorry about that.”

“I’d hardly say it was in vain,” he replied with one eyebrow quirked up at her. “In fact…” Loki insinuated one long leg between hers. “...I would very much like to hear it again.”

“Is this a boat seduction?” she teased. 

“Longship,” he replied, “and yes. It is.”

She ran her fingertips down his sides. “I love boats.”

“Do you know what I love, Darcy?” he asked, catching her under one knee and pulling her leg up around his hip.

“What?” she asked breathlessly as his fingers stroked over her before he positioned himself.

Loki thrust into her, making her arch her back with a hushed little gasp. “That sound right there. I love it.”

“Goddamn, Mischief, you feel so fucking good,” Darcy said. “Can we just stay here all day?”

“You mean in my boat?” he replied with a playful smile as he began to move inside her. 

“Or mine.” She rocked her hips up to meet his and they both gasped. “I’ve got one too. Not as big. Or as ridiculously gold and green, but still a boat.”

“You have no idea how tempting that is.” Loki bent his head, and his hair brushed the sides of her face as he kissed her.

Darcy’s lips parted under his, and his tongue flicked over hers. “Pretty sure I do,” she said, when he pulled back so he could drop a trail of kisses down her neck. “ _Fuck_! That thing you’re doing right now? Keep doing it.”

“This?” he inquired, shifting his hips against her in a circular motion.

“Yeah. That. Just… Oh my God of Mischief, don’t stop. You’re hitting everything in the best possible way.” She swallowed hard, closing her eyes and curving up to meet him.

“Darcy, look at me,” Loki requested.

“Can’t. Focusing on orgasms and stuff,” she replied, words clipped short.

He bumped the tip of her nose with his. “You will thank me for it, mortal, trust me. Open your eyes.”

She blinked her eyes open and trained them on his face. “Okay, I’m looking.”

“Ready?” he asked.

“For wha…” she started to say, and was immediately cut off by a sensation so incredible that her whole body began to tremble from it. “Jesus...what… What are you… Oh my _God_ , Loki.”

He was obviously using magic, that much was clear, but what he was doing with it had pretty much rendered her unable to complete a single coherent thought. It was tingly, and warm, and radiating all over her body in pulsing waves from where they were joined. Loki traced his fingers over her ribs and the feeling followed them.

Every time he moved, she could see his eyes almost flicker closed and then open again on hers. 

“You’re feeling this too, aren’t you?” she managed to gasp out.

He nodded, a smile playing over his parted lips. “Yes.”

“So if I touch you?”

“I’ll feel it the same way you do.”

Darcy let her hands drift over his skin, relishing the way he reacted to her touch. “You are amazing. _This_ is amazing.”

“It is one of my better spells,” Loki replied with a wink. “Would you like to see my favorite part?”

“It gets better?” She wasn’t sure she’d survive it getting better, but she was damn well going to try.

He didn’t answer, just took one of her hands in his and slipped them both down between them. The brilliant sparks of sensation followed in their wake, until they were trapped at the apex of her legs. She rocked up, moaning his name. 

“Now Darcy,” he said, lips pressed to the hollow of her throat, “come with me.”

On her next intake of breath, she did, succumbing to the overwhelming flood of feeling as he shuddered above her. The pleasure seemed to flow back and forth between their bodies, each one echoing the the other. Somewhere in the midst of it, Darcy realized she was somehow able to sense what it felt like for him, each small shift of her body heightening his response.

Loki held them both in the thrall of the spell for a little while longer and then slowly let it ebb away. He dropped his forehead down onto hers with a sigh, and then he chuckled. “It has been a while since I have done that.”

“We’re putting it back in rotation,” she replied and felt his chest rumble as he laughed again. “Seriously. Please tell me that wasn’t a one time thing.”

“We can do that whenever you want,” he said, slipping out of her and rolling to the side. “Although, regrettably, not again this morning. I shall have to return you to your rooms soon.”

Darcy ducked under his arm and buried her face against his chest. “Don’t wanna. I like it here with you.”

Loki kissed the top of her head. “I like you being here, but if I do not get you back, you will be missed. This place abounds with rumors. I would not want to cause any for you.”

"Too late,” she said, lifting up to look at him. “I wanted to tell you, but couldn’t exactly find the right time last night. That girl sitting next to me at dinner. Inga? She said people are saying I’m your daughter.”

“My daughter?” His eyes widened. “Why? Because of the glamour I chose for you?”

“Yep.” Darcy made a face. “Don’t I look way too old to be your daughter? I mean...you would have had to of been...oh. Nevermind. I keep forgetting how old you are.”

He sat up on his elbows to see her better. “Does it trouble you? My age?”

“No. Not at all. I mean, maybe the part where you live forever and I don’t, but I never think of how old you are really. You’re just, you know, you.” She shrugged. “I’m a take one day at a time kind of a girl. People can disappear from your life in a second. You have to appreciate each moment you have. So, I’m not going throw away any of our moments on worrying about that stuff. At least not right now. What about you? Does my age bug you?”

Loki regarded her quietly for a moment, and then said, “I am appreciating our moments as well.”

“See? We’re good then,” she declared. “So, about the whole daughter thing. Inga said Thor had kids, and I was kind of wondering if that applied to you too.”

“My brother enjoys sowing his wild oats throughout the Nine Realms, whereas I do not,” Loki answered.

“Is that a no?”

“It is a no.”

“Do you just not want kids?” she asked. 

His lips curled up into a smile. “You are always so direct. It is something the court is sorely lacking. To answer your question, yes, I want children. What I do not want, is to have a trail of bastards scattered across Asgard.”

Darcy nodded. “That makes sense.”

“I rarely do not,” he said dryly.

“Shut up, smartass. And before you say anything, yes you can chain me up later for my impudence or whatever.”

“You need to stop offering that, or I shall take you up on it,” Loki replied.

“And you need to know that I keep a pair of handcuffs in my nightstand drawer, so anytime you feel like taking me up on it, let me know,” Darcy countered. “Aren’t you supposed to be teleporting me back to my rooms right now?”

He dropped his head back on the pillow with a groan, and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Yes. Here.”

With a wave of his hand, Loki dressed them both. Her in some sort of shift, and him in a pair of black pants and a loose green shirt. Then he put his arms around her and the room around her shifted from his to hers as they reappeared on her bed. 

“That was so much better than a walk a shame,” Darcy said with satisfaction. “You being all magical rocks.”

“I am afraid I must leave you, though. Will you allow me to escort you to breakfast?”

“Totally. Does this mean you’ll sit with me too?” she asked.

“Indeed.” Loki pulled her face down for a kiss. “Send me a message through the cuff when you are ready, and I shall come fetch you.”

“You got it, Mischief. See you in a little bit.”

He kissed her one more time, replacing the glamour as he did so, and disappeared from her bed. Darcy grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it happily to her chest. She was still in her post-Loki afterglow when her maid came in to help her bathe and dress. Darcy let her know she needed zero help bathing, but the dress once again proved completely baffling. She stood there impatiently as the girl laced her into it, and then arranged her hair. 

Finally she was dressed and ready. Darcy touched her bracelet and sent _Hey, Mischief, I’m all set._

Moments later, there was a knock on the door, and Darcy bounded over to it and pulled it open. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, starting out into the hall. “I’m starving, and I didn’t want to sit with strangers again.”

“Well then, I am pleased I could be of service to you, Lady Darcy. Shall we go down?” Blue eyes twinkled at her as the speaker offered her his arm.

Darcy froze. Goddamn it.

It wasn’t Loki. It was Thor.


	19. Tasers prefer Mischief to Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor finds out that not every girl on Asgard is after his hammer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay..soooooo... I feel like I have a lot of explaining to do. Some of you probably read the note I put up yesterday when I deleted chapter 20, and erased chapter 19, but for those of you who didn't see it, here's what happened...
> 
> I have a loose storyline that I'm working from. A few days ago I deviated from it, because I woke up with a plot bunny that caught my attention. Namely, it involved Loki and Darcy being put in a position where they had to get married. In retrospect, that was a really, really bad idea. I could not rationalize the two of them ever agreeing to that in my head. It felt all wrong to me personally. It may sound silly, but my characters are my babies. I didn't want to force them into that. Plus the mom in me kept yelling, "You can't marry some guy you just met!!!!".
> 
> The more I wrote, the more I hated where the story was going, and it was making me want to abandon fic. I REFUSE to abandon this fic because I love it. So, I'm taking out the plot bunny of doom, and re-writing chapter 19 and 20.
> 
> I am really, really sorry if that upsets anyone, and I'd like to apologize to all of your for it. I've never done this before, but I can't keep going with a plotline that I know isn't working. Please don't stop reading. Everything is back on track now, and I feel so much better about the story. 
> 
> Love,
> 
> Left
> 
>  
> 
> ***********************************************************

Darcy stared at Thor in dismay as he continued to hold his arm out for her. He seemed completely unperturbed by the fact that she was totally thrown. If anything, his smile became even wider and more encouraging.

“Lady Darcy? I cannot take you down to breakfast if you do not take my arm,” Thor pointed out in a teasing tone.

She could not let this happen again. She just couldn’t.

“Actually, Your Highness, I’ve already made plans for breakfast. When I opened the door, I thought it was someone else knocking. I’m really sorry. You go on ahead. Maybe I’ll see you down there,” she said, attempting to get him moving before Loki showed up.

“I’m sure whoever it is will understand,” he said kindly. “I am the Crown Prince of Asgard, after all.”

Darcy glanced nervously down the hall behind him for any sign of Loki. “Yeah, the thing is, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t understand. So, if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to politely decline. Thank you, though.”

“I believe you do not fully understand my intentions. I will shortly become King. Asgard and Vanaheim would both benefit from an alliance. It is very likely that this is the reason my mother has introduced you at court. It would be advantageous to both realms if we got to know one another better.” He beamed as if he’d just solved world hunger.

She tried not to pull her hair out. “Look, I’m not sure why you can’t take a hint, and seriously, that sounded weirdly like a proposal. I don’t take proposals before breakfast. Not that I have any plan to accept.”

Thor’s brow furrowed. "I don’t understand. Why would you find my advances displeasing? Are you betrothed to someone else?”

“Betrothed? Really? No. I just…”

At that moment, she saw Loki approaching from down the hall. His expression went from buoyant to furious in less time than it took to say 'fratricide’. Darcy started to panic. They was about to be a deathmatch in the corridor any second if she couldn’t find a way to avert it. 

With a final look at Loki, who was starting to shimmer all over like he was conjuring up his armor, Darcy tried one final time to avert a whole bunch of crazy. “Okay. I’m just going to be honest, because I’m hoping that maybe somewhere under all that self-absorbed brawn is a decent guy who will respect what I’m about to say. The person I’m waiting for is your brother. He and I are, um...courting.”

Thor looked astounded. “You and _Loki_ are courting?”

“Yeah, we are,” she replied defensively, “and it’s a little bit insulting that you’re so surprised by that.”

“I meant no disrespect,” Thor backpedaled. “I was unaware that Loki had made any claim on you. After all, you have been here but a day.”

“We met before yesterday, actually. So, please, I’d really appreciate it if you stopped trying to escort me places. Not that you aren’t really manly and stuff.” Darcy patted his arm in a conciliatory manner. “I just really like your brother.”

She glanced up the hall to see Loki had powered down his attack mode. He still looked hella annoyed, but the murderous glint was out of his eyes.

“Prince Loki,” Darcy greeted him, dropping a small, slightly wobbly curtsy. “I was just informing your brother that you had offered to walk me down to breakfast.”

“Indeed,” Loki said, giving Thor a cold look. “We had arranged it last evening. What brings you to this part of the palace, brother? It is a bit out of the way for you, is it not?”

“Peace, Loki,” Thor replied, holding up his hands. “I was unaware of your interest in Lady Darcy. Had I known, I would not have made overtures towards her.”

“Well now you are aware,” he said curtly, and offered his arm to Darcy. “Shall we go down?”

Darcy slid her arm through Loki’s, and then looked from him to Thor. “Why don’t we all go down together? It would be sort of silly to act like we’re not all headed to the same place.”

The two brothers stood there eyeing each other uneasily, but Darcy just shrugged and started walking, and they were forced to fall in step with her. After several minutes of very awkward silence she got fed up and started a conversation. 

“Soooo, Prince Thor,” she said, glancing up at his large frame, “what do you do when you’re not throwing a hammer at things?”

He gave her a half-grin. “I enjoy hunting, riding, various types of sport.”

“Ever hunt any pheasant?” Darcy asked pleasantly, and Loki snorted.

“Are you having a jest at my expense?” Thor inquired, still smiling at her. 

“No,” Loki replied. “Lady Darcy has a particular fondness for pheasant.”

“Well then perhaps we should arrange a hunt,” Thor said. “Loki is actually quite skilled at it, although he would tell you otherwise.”

“He did!” she exclaimed. “Loki, I thought you said you didn’t hunt!”

“What I said was that I preferred other pastimes, not that I was unable to do it,” he interjected.

“Then it is settled,” Thor announced. “When the coronation festivities are completed I shall arrange a hunt. Have you brought your own mount, Lady Darcy, or shall I find one for you?”

Loki started to laugh. “I fear this will be the end of Lady Darcy’s career as a huntress, brother. For you will never get her on a horse.”

“You do not ride?” Thor asked her incredulously. 

She glared at Loki. “No. I have a fear of horses. One bit me when I was little.”

“That must have been quite traumatic for you,” Thor agreed, lips twitching as he shared a look with his brother.

“She was terrified of poor Stjarna,” Loki told him. “I believe she may have offended him with her dislike.”

“I’m sorry, but weren’t the two of you about to kill each other five minutes ago? How did this get turned around on me?” Darcy demanded.

“We are brothers,” Thor said by way of explanation. “It is just our way. Loki was well within his rights to be angry with me. Had I discovered him with a girl I was courting, I would have taken Mjölnir to him.”

“Why aren’t you courting anyone?” she asked. 

His expression became rueful. “I was attempting to, but my brother saw her first.”

“Let that be a lesson to you. Not every woman in Asgard is available to the great Thor. Some of them actually prefer Mischief to Thunder,” Loki said, but there was no heat in his voice anymore. 

“Be nice,” Darcy said, tugging on his arm. “He apologized for it.” She turned to look at Thor. “I do prefer mischief, but I’m sure lots of maidens around here are swooning at the chance to be courted by you. What about Lady Sif? She’s really pretty, and I bet you two have a lot in common, right?”

“Sif?” Thor shook his head. “The Lady Sif is…”

“Right over there,” Darcy cautioned. “So you might want to lower your voice.”

The God of Thunder whipped his head up so fast it was comical. Darcy had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, and she could hear Loki stifling a snicker next to her.. 

“Ah, Sif!” he bellowed cheerfully. “We were just on our way to breakfast. Will you join us?”

The statuesque brunette rolled her eyes. “Have you never heard of an indoor voice?” she asked Thor.

“What do you mean?” Thor seemed genuinely puzzled. “I needed to get your attention.”

“Yes, and you very likely got the attention of the entire Nine Realms as well,” she replied dryly. “You would think he was raised in a stable, not a palace. Good morning Lady Darcy. ...Loki.”

“Good morning Sif,” Loki said. “Pleased to see me as usual. Your affection for me is always so heartwarming. Sif has never quite forgiven me the haircut I gave her when we were children,” he explained to Darcy with a smirk.

“Children?” Sif retorted. “I was _eighteen_.”

“I thought it suited you,” Loki responded. “You wished to be a warrior, I was merely attempting to help you fit in. It was not my fault you did not care for my handiwork with the scissors.”

“Not this again,” Thor broke in. “Must I hear this same argument every time the two of you are together? Loki used magic to regrow your hair, did he not?”

“Yes, the wrong color!” Sif replied in annoyance. “I had been a blonde before this bungling magician attempted to correct his misdeed.”

“I think it looks really good on you,” Darcy said, hoping that she could get them moving towards breakfast again.

It seemed like Sif was going to say something about that, but then she looked at Darcy’s dark tresses and changed her mind. “I should probably be grateful that I am not bald. Loki did not have the mastery over his magic then that he has now.”

“Are you going to come to breakfast with us?” Darcy asked. “You could sit with me. I’d love to hear some stories about the two of them growing up.”

“And that,” Sif said, giving Thor a cutting glance, “is the way you invite someone to breakfast. Notice how she did not feel the need to bray down the length of an entire corridor. Yes, Lady Darcy, I would love to have breakfast with you. If for no other reason than to protect you from the snakes Loki enjoys conjuring up all over the table.”

“Oh I don’t mind snakes,” Darcy said airily. “Reptiles don’t scare me.”

“He must be so grateful for that,” Sif remarked pointedly. 

Darcy felt her cuff warm up. _She is intimating that I am the reptile,_ appeared across the gold surface.

 _Yeah, I caught that,_ Darcy replied. _Don’t start fighting with her again. I want my breakfast._

The four began walking and Darcy was hit with a sudden flash of inspiration. “Aren’t you going to offer Lady Sif your arm?” she asked Thor innocently.

“Oh no,” Sif started to say, “I do not need…”

She was interrupted by Thor gracelessly holding his arm out to her. Darcy had to duck her head down to hide her smile as Sif, just as gracelessly, took it. 

_Are you playing at matchmaker?_ Loki sent.

She brushed his words away and replied, _Maybe. I think they’re cute together._

He just shook his head. _You are nothing but trouble._

 _So are you. Besides, you knew that a month ago, Mischief, and you still brought me home with you._

There was no response for a moment, and then he sent, _I like trouble._

She grinned. _Me too._

Breakfast turned out to be delicious. Darcy had never had quail eggs before. She was totally adding them to her list of favorite foods. It almost caused a problem for her her, though, because she started to ask Loki why he’d never made them for her at the hunting lodge. Fortunately she caught herself just before she asked it.

Sif, who had seemed so aloof when Darcy had originally met her, was actually really friendly and funny. She had bunches of stories about the brothers and the Warriors Three. Unlike the ones told by Thor, Sif included all the mistakes and near-misses. Darcy’s stomach hurt from laughing so hard by the time the meal was over. 

Even Loki seemed to have completely relaxed. He joined in the conversation, adding various bits of the stories that Thor or Sif forgot. 

“Did you really get pelted by goat dung in Niðavellir?” Darcy asked, giggling so hard she was holding her sides. 

“Gods, yes. It was horrible,” Sif told her. “They loaded it into their trebuchets. You have never seen Fandral retreat so quickly.”

“He moaned about being unable to get the stench out of his hair for weeks,” Thor added. “Do you remember that, Loki? I believe he finally requested that you make him a potion to remove the scent.”

“Oh yes, I recall that too,” Sif said. “Thank Yggdrasil the potion worked, or we would still be hearing about it to this day.”

“My skills saved us all yet again,” Loki replied. “As they so often do. Truly, I get an appalling lack of credit for that.”

Thor reached across the table and clapped him on the arm. “Your skills are much appreciated, brother. Do not doubt that. They have gotten us out of many a tight spot.”

“Unfortunately, they will not get us out of our duties today,” Loki said. “I am afraid I must return you to my mother, Lady Darcy. My brother and I have a meeting with our father the King this morning.”

“I could take her back,” Sif offered. “Your mother’s chambers are on the way to mine.”

Loki looked at Darcy questioningly, and she nodded. “That’s fine. I don’t want you to be late.”

“Well then,” Thor said as the two brothers got to their feet, “we shall take our leave of you. I hope to see you both later at the festivities.”

“I will come and find you when I am finished,” Loki said, brushing his lips over Darcy’s knuckles. “Try not to murder any pillows while I am gone.”

She laughed. “I make no promises. Embroidery is definitely not my strongpoint.”

“You do not enjoy embroidery?” Sif asked, as they watched the brothers leave.

“Um...it’s more like embroidery doesn’t enjoy me,” Darcy told her. “I think they had to burn the poor cushion I was working on yesterday.”

“If it is any consolation, I would rather throw myself off the parapets than embroider a cushion,” Sif said with a smile. 

“It’s not just the sewing,” she replied, getting up. “I don’t think some of the other ladies like me very much.”

Sif stood as well. “You must mean Lady Ærndís,” she guessed shrewdly. “That viper has always had her eye on Loki. I expect his interest in you has not escaped her notice.”

“It hasn’t escaped yours either,” Darcy said as they made their way out of the dining hall.

“I saw it right away when we found you together yesterday. Loki was nearly spitting daggers at Thor for claiming your attention for himself.”

“Sorry about that,” Darcy said. “I wasn’t trying to make Thor notice me or anything.”

“Now why would you apologize to me? I have no interest in Thor beyond friendship,” Sif replied.

Darcy grinned. “Uhuh. I see things too, you know.”

“In this case, you are mistaken,” she insisted. “Thor and I have always been like siblings. I have no feelings for him other than those a sister would.”

 _Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that_ , Darcy thought, trying not to roll her eyes. “If you say so. Anyway, he seems kind of oblivious. So if a girl did like him more than as a sister, not saying you are that girl or anything, but if she did? It might help if she made that a little more obvious by asking him out on a date or something.”

“Are you suggesting that a woman make overtures of courtship?” Sif asked in surprise.

“Why not?” Darcy shrugged. “If she can fight off six trolls with one arm while carrying a box of jewels in the other, then she can totally ask a guy out.”

The other girl began to smile. “It was five trolls. Six may have been beyond even my abilities.”

“All I’m saying is that if you like someone, you shouldn’t let some stupid customs stand in the way of letting them know. You didn’t let them stand in the way of becoming one of the biggest heroes in Asgard, right?”

“No. I did not.”

“There. See? Feminism. It’s alive and well in this realm. Woo!” Darcy pumped her fist in the air, and Sif laughed again.

They had arrived outside Frigga’s chambers at this point, and Darcy looked at the door with a frown. “Maybe they’ll let me knit today instead. At least I know how to do that,” she said.

“You knit?” Sif asked. 

“Yep. I made myself all kinds of scarves and hats and stuff back home. You wouldn’t think it gets cold in New…” Darcy snapped her mouth shut just in time. “Um, I mean Starkadsgarth. Sorry. Not sure what my brain was doing just there.”

The lady warrior was staring at her curiously, but thankfully, she didn’t question her statement. “I regret that I cannot come inside with you. Please give Her Majesty my regards.”

“Thanks, Sif,” Darcy said gratefully. “I’m really glad we got a chance to talk. You’re probably the first girl I’ve met here that I had anything in common with.”

“I’m glad as well,” she replied. “It seems Loki and I don’t disagree on everything after all.”

“I’ll see you later at the thing in the coliseum. Don’t forget what I said about that guy you definitely don’t like.” Darcy winked, and then opened the door, quickly closing it behind her before Sif could respond.

“Ah, Lady Darcy, there you are!” a voice called from across the room, and she saw Lady Halla bustling over in her direction. “Look what I have found for you!”

Darcy looked in horror at the round embroidery hoop the other woman was brandishing her in hand like some sort of trophy.

“This will be so much easier than the cushion, will it not?” Lady Halla said. “Come, I have already threaded your needles.”

Well...there went her morning. With a resigned sigh, Darcy joined the rest of the ladies and started destroying the image of flowers that was neatly drawn on the piece of fabric in the hoop.


	20. Dirty Shakespeare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy escapes embroidery, Loki busts out the old school vocabulary, and Thor uses the word glorious in a sentence. Twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOOOOOSH! Here is your new chapter! With some dirty talk! And some um...swordfighting! (no, that's not a euphemism)
> 
> Thank you to everyone who was so awesomely encouraging over the rewrite. I have said this before and I'm gonna say it again. You guys are amazing. This fandom flipping rocks. I love you all. :D
> 
> **********************************************************

“How is it coming along?” Frigga inquired, sitting down in the windowseat next to Darcy.

Darcy held up the sad tangle of thread that was meant to be some sort of floral motif. “I’ve officially massacred it. The embroidery police are converging on Asgard right now to apprehend me and lock me up where I will never hurt another piece of floss again.”

Frigga took the hoop from her, examining the stitches with good humor. “Indeed. Perhaps it is not as bad as you think.” She waved her hand over the surface, and the knotted mass magically changed into a recognizable bunch of flowers.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Darcy asked dryly, and Frigga chuckled.

“When Loki was a boy, he used to right all of Thor’s messes. Has he ever told you that?”

Darcy shook her head. “Nope. What do you mean?”

“My eldest would very often act first and think later. I can remember one time he was practicing with Mjölnir in the palace library where Loki was reading. Thor managed to destroy an entire wall of shelves by accident. Well, his father and I came running when we heard the commotion of course, along with half of the servants and court. By the time we arrived, Loki had used magic to repair the shelves and replace the books. The two of them were sitting side by side at Odin’s writing desk acting as if they had no idea why half the inhabitants of the palace had suddenly descended upon them in a panic.” A fond smile blossomed on Frigga’s face. “No amount of questioning them could induce either boy to explain what had happened. It wasn’t until years later when Thor told the story during a feast celebrating the autumn harvest that we ever truly knew what had transpired.”

“Why wouldn’t they tell?” Darcy asked. “Loki had fixed it.”

“Oh yes, he had, but Odin would have punished Thor had he known he was using Mjölnir indoors. Loki was protecting his brother. They have always looked after each other. Once Loki was injured while the two were out hunting, and Thor carried him five miles to the nearest cottage to seek help. There is a thousand years of brotherhood between them.” For a moment Frigga’s face clouded, but she swiftly smoothed it out again and handed the embroidery hoop back to Darcy. “There you are. Its previous appearance shall be our secret.”

“Until I ruin the next one,” Darcy replied cheerfully. 

“Actually, I was thinking perhaps you are not suited to sitting idly in a window sewing. In truth, neither am I. I believe the Lady Sif is down on the practice field preparing for the tourney this evening. Shall we join her?” Frigga asked.

“What, like watch?”

“No, I rather thought you may like to participate,” Loki’s mother suggested.

Darcy bounced up excitedly. “Yes! Totally. I mean, the two of you are going to kill me, because I’m really terrible at swordfighting, but I’m pretty sure death is preferable to embroidery.”

“Well then, I shall send someone to procure armor for you.” Frigga began to call one of the servants, and Darcy stopped her.

“No, it’s okay,” she said. “I’ll just ask Loki for the stuff he made me.” 

She was brushing her fingers over the cuff to contact him before she even thought about it. The minute her brain caught up with her actions, she wanted to bang her head on the wall. Darcy looked up to see Loki’s mother watching her with an eyebrow raised in amusement. 

“Tell my son his mother sends her greetings,” Frigga said.

“So, we’re kind of busted, huh?” Darcy replied sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”

“I have no idea why you are apologizing,” Loki’s mom replied innocently. “You're allowed to wear jewelry in my presence.”

Darcy gave her a huge grin. “Right. So, I’ll just _not_ magically contact your son with my perfectly ordinary bracelet, and ask him to conjure my armor up in my rooms.”

“You do that,” Frigga replied. “I shall send someone over to help dress you.”

A short time later, the maid had finished dressing Darcy and had gone back to let Frigga know she was ready. Darcy was checking herself out in the mirror while she waited for the Queen to come get her. With the glamour in place, she looked absurdly like a short, feminine version of Loki. 

She felt her cuff signal that he was sending a message, and checked it to see, _Please make every attempt not to maim yourself. I find that I am quite fond of your form just the way it is._

 _You mean **your** form,_ she replied, including a mental image of herself from the mirror. _Look._

“I much prefer you as yourself. You know that.”

He suddenly appeared behind her in the mirror, and Darcy let out a shriek, dropping her sword with a clang. “Oh my God! Loki! I could have stabbed you!”

“I highly doubt that, as I am still sitting in a very tedious meeting with my father,” Loki said, retrieving the sword and slipping it into the sheath hanging on her hip. “Now, I suspect we have less than five minutes before my mother arrives to take you down to the practice field, so I suggest we make the most of it.”

“You mean this is a double?” Darcy turned around and poked him in the chest. 

“Yes, but it is also me. That being the case…” He placed his fingertips on either side of her face and removed the glamour. “Come, mortal, this god has been longing for you since we parted.”

“I love when you say stuff like that,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist. 

“Do you?” Loki asked. He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Then I should tell you that my thoughts have been dwelling on you these past two hours. I have been able to think of little else but finding you so that I can drown myself in the blue of your eyes as I thrust up into the slick, tight, heat of your quim.”

“Jesus Christ,” Darcy said, feeling her knees go wobbly. “Did you just Shakespearean sex-talk me?”

“Mmmm.” Loki rubbed his thumb over her lips, parting them. “You are so alluring right now. If we had more time, I would take your palms, place them flat on that bed, remove any impediments in my way, and have you until we were both unable to stand.”

She swallowed hard. “Can we please pencil that in for later?”

“I will look forward to it with great anticipation,” he told her with a wicked smile. “But for now, I suppose I shall have to content myself with this...”

“I just kissed your double,” she said seconds later against his lips.

“You are still kissing my double,” Loki corrected, and brought her mouth back to his.

A few moments passed and then she said, “This double thing is awesome. How does it work for you? I mean…” Darcy glanced down pointedly, and then back up into his face. “...is the real you getting off on this too?”

“I could show you this evening if you wish,” he said. “Let you amuse yourself with the both of us.”

“Reeeeeally.” She raised her eyebrows at him as she thought about it. “It would kinda be a magical biology lesson. I like it. Science is super-important.”

Loki laughed. “Far be it from me to get in the way of science. We shall be at your disposal then, mortal.”

“I can’t wait. Now. Kissing. Where were we?” Darcy was just angling his face back down to hers when there was a knock on the door. “That’s your mom,” she sighed. “I’ll see you at the tourney thing tonight. Are you doing anything for that?”

“I am,” he said, restoring her glamour. “Until tonight.” Loki bent his head, brushing his lips over her forehead before disappearing. 

Darcy picked up her helmet, and headed out into the hall to meet Frigga. “Wow,” she declared, once she’d caught sight of the Queen wearing her armor. “Look at you, Boadicea! I like it.”

Frigga smiled. “Thank you. Is this the armor my son made for you?” She reached out to touch the movable plates over Darcy’s shoulders. 

“Yep. Wait until you see the best part.” Darcy held up her circlet helm with the two horns curling over the back. “See? Just like his, only girly.” 

“Oh Loki,” Frigga said with a small shake of her head. “He certainly insists on putting his stamp all over you, doesn’t he?”

“Actually, the first one he made me had wings. I asked for horns,” Darcy explained. “I just really liked the way his looked.”

“Indeed?” Frigga seemed quite pleased by this. “You know, Thor calls him cow.”

Darcy furrowed her brows. “Cow? There’s nothing cow-like about Loki. If anything, he’s a stag. You know, all powerful and graceful and sexy…” She stopped abruptly, wincing at her choice of words. “And I just totally said that to his mom. Oh my God. Don’t mind me. I’m shutting up now. Possibly for the rest of my stay in Asgard.”

Frigga’s laughter filled the hall. “You may not. I positively forbid it. Now, shall we go meet Sif?”

“Yes please," Darcy requested. "I’m pretty sure I won’t able to say stupid stuff while I’m trying not to be killed on the practice field.”

“I have yet to hear you say anything I would consider stupid,” Loki’s mother replied, leading the way through the long corridors. “In truth, I appreciate your honesty and lack of fear in speaking your mind.”

“I think it might get me into trouble at court, though,” Darcy said. “I’m terrible at hiding what I’m thinking.”

“That is part of your charm. It is lovely to find someone who values being candid above creating intrigue. Loki clearly likes it.”

“I’m not sure if he likes it so much as he’s amused by it, but anyway… Holy cats! Is that the practice field?” She stared at the huge area filled with men sparring and doing other various manly Viking-type things, and suddenly felt really nervous. “Um...I’m totally going to embarrass myself, Frigga. Maybe I should just watch you and Sif.”

“Nonsense. You will be fine. Everyone on that field was a beginner at some point. They will admire your will to learn,” Frigga assured her. 

Darcy wasn’t so sure, but tried to put a brave face on. She could do this. Even if she landed on her ass, at least she would do her best. With a confident air, she slapped her helm onto her head, and followed Frigga over to where Sif was waiting.

She absolutely landed on her ass. Bunches of times, but she didn’t give up. 

“Okay,” she yelled the third time Sif had taken her feet out from under her. “You may have gotten me this time, but I’m completely planning on beating you just as soon as I can stand again. So, you know...prepare yourself.” 

The girl warrior leaned over her with a wry smile, and grasped Darcy’s hand to help her back up. “Why don’t you just focus on getting one blow in before landing on your backside this time?”

“Cocky,” Darcy replied. “That’s gonna cost you, woman.”

Ten seconds later, Darcy managed to land a glancing hit on Sif’s shield. She danced around gleefully afterwards. “Did you see that?” she shouted to Frigga. “Woo! I’m awesome!”

The small group of men who had gathered to watch hooted and cheered. “She may best you yet, Sif!” one of them joked.

“A purse on the little raven!” another one called out.

“Awwww, yeah!” Darcy taunted. “Float like a butterfly. Sting like a… GAH!”

“What was it you were floating like?” Sif asked, peering down into Darcy’s face while standing over her yet again.

Darcy pushed her helmet back up from where it had slid down over her eyes. “A butterfly.”

“Next time, concentrate less on floating, and more on your opponent,” Sif advised her. “Unless your plan was to defeat me from the ground.”

“Haha,” Darcy replied. “Hey, did you ask that boy out yet? You know, the one you don’t like?”

Sif shook her head. “Now you are asking to be knocked down.”

“Nope. You’re going down this time. I’m sure of it.” She struggled back to her feet, and the group of men applauded. “Look at that. I have fans!” Darcy waved at them, and then turned back to Sif with a determined expression. “Alrighty. Let’s do this. I’m ready to bust out my victory dance.”

Metal clashed against metal as they began to move around the field again.

**********************************************************************************

The two brothers stood high about the practice field watching Sif and Darcy spar. Both laughed as Darcy went down again, and then bounced straight back up on her feet without missing a beat.

“She is glorious, Loki. Completely unskilled with a sword, but glorious,” Thor said. “I knew you would not be content with a Midgardian. And now look, you have found a fiery little Vanir noblewoman to keep you company. Father will be pleased.”

Loki fought to maintain a straight face as he sipped his wine. “Yes. You certainly knew best. She is nothing like the Midgardian girl. I am truly fortunate.”

“You are a fast worker, though. Two women in such a short amount of time? You must have returned the other girl Midgard right after we spoke.” Thor leaned over the balcony as the two women came closer, and Darcy darted forward to force Sif back a step. “Ah! Did you see that? She is improving.”

“She is deceptively quick,” Loki agreed, watching Darcy affectionately as she managed to sidestep Sif and get behind her. “I believe she may have her this time.”

There was raucous hollering from the men on the practice field when Darcy finally won a match. She jumped up and down, holding her sword aloft and whooping loudly. Thor and Loki chuckled at her antics.

“I would not call her a gracious winner,” Thor pointed out, still grinning.

Loki smiled as Darcy spotted him, and held his cup up to salute her. “Let her enjoy her victory. She was gracious enough in defeat.”

Thor made a grunt of agreement. “I see she wears a helm like yours. Could you be any less subtle, Loki? Not a man on that field is unaware of your claim now.”

“She chose it,” Loki said. “I merely fulfilled her request.”

His brother’s eyes widened. “Did she know what such a request meant?”

The God of Mischief shook his head. “I do not believe so. In many things she is completely innocent.”

“And you like that about her,” Thor said shrewdly. “She is unlike the other women at court. There is no pretense with Lady Darcy.”

“No,” Loki replied, thinking of the way that Darcy never hesitated to trust him with what she was thinking. “There is not.”

They were both silent for a moment, eyes fixed on the practice field below as Darcy stepped to the sidelines and Sif faced off against their mother. She cheered them on with as much high spirits as any of the men, banging her sword on her shield like the rest.

“Had she been taken by any other man, I would have fought for her,” Thor finally said. 

Loki looked at him a moment and then said, “Had she been taken by any other man, I would have too.”


	21. Volstagg explains it all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tourneys, feasting, and explanations. Plus, Darcy makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday, people!!!! :D Here's your next chapter.
> 
> **********************************************************

The tourney turned out to be way more fun than Darcy was expecting. This was in no small part due to the fact that Frigga’s ladies got front row seats, and that Loki had begged a favor from her which...well…

Okay, she was still sort of all mushy over that. Apparently this was something they still did on Asgard. All the ladies wore ribbons of a specific color around their wrists, and the participants could come over before their turn and ask to wear them. Darcy had chosen sky blue ribbons, and they were currently tied through Loki’s shoulder plate with the symbol of a wolf on it.

She could see them fluttering every time he moved, pale azure against the green and black of his armor. Thor was wearing his mother’s colors, also blue, but a much deeper shade. The brothers were standing on the other side of the coliseum, waiting for their turn to be called. At the moment, the warrior who’d been introduced as Hogun was facing off against some burly guy that Darcy thought was one of Odin’s private guard.

The match seemed to go on forever, with neither man giving ground, and then, before Darcy could understand how it happened, Hogun knocked both sword and shield out of the guard’s hand with one, forceful blow. The other man yielded, and they walked off the field amid cheers. 

The next numbers were called, and Thor and Loki walked out onto the field. Darcy could see them grinning and taunting each other before the signal was given to begin. Less than ten seconds in, and she was on the edge of her seat, fingers clutching the rail in front of her. Thor was powerful, a big muscley ball of blonde fury, but Loki was _fast_. It was hard to follow the constant blur of motion as the two squared off. 

Just as she thought Thor was going to get the better of Loki, he managed to feint to the left and then used magic to create a double. His brother spun around to catch him, dove, and went straight through the Loki mirage, hitting the ground with enough force to make a God of Thunder sized divot. 

The real Loki rocked back on his heels with laughter, but was knocked flat on his back seconds later by Mjölnir. He went completely still, arms spread out to either side, and cape crumpled underneath him. Everyone in the coliseum went silent. Then the two brothers looked at each other and started to laugh. Thor rolled to his feet, shaking his head in amusement and reached down to give his brother a hand up. 

Loud cheering erupted from every corner, and the men raised their hands, waving at the assembled people. The match was considered a draw. Darcy sighed in relief. Watching Loki get hit by Mjölnir had been sort of terrifying. 

_I thought you were dead_ , she sent him.

He looked up and smiled at her across the field. _Oh Darcy, I am so much harder to kill than that. This was merely play._

She stuck her tongue out at him, and could see him chuckling at her before he turned to walk off the field so the next participants could take their places. The rest of the tourney flew by. Sif beat Fandral, much to Darcy’s delight. Volstagg entered the ring against an absolute giant of a man wearing gold armor. That match was over in seconds. Darcy felt sorry for Volstagg, but she suspected even Odin himself couldn't have beaten Gold Armor Man. He seemed to be a crowd favorite too. She made a mental note to ask Loki who he was later. 

Then the whole thing was over, and everyone headed back to the palace to get ready for the big feast that was happening that evening. She was so excited about the feast. First of all, it was informal, so she was going to get to sit with Loki and Sif, yay! Second of all, there was going to be dancing. Darcy had no idea what dancing constituted on Asgard, but she loved to get her groove on. The whole thing sounded awesome.

************Several Hours Later************

“Wait, wait, wait,” Darcy said, waving her silver goblet in one hand. “ _Who_ ended up tied to the back of a hay wagon by accident?”

“Me,” Fandral replied, “and it was not an accident. They knew very well that I was trapped inside that barrel.” He glared at Volstagg who made a sweeping gesture which Darcy assumed was supposed convey innocence.

“I have no idea what you mean, Fandral,” he protested. “I thought it was a cask of mead.”

The blonde warrior pounded his fist on the table. “Ah see? Now we know he is lying. Had it been a cask of mead, he would have drunk it.”

Everyone laughed. 

Sif smiled at Darcy from across the table. “Are you enjoying yourself with these fools? It must be quite a change from taking your meals with Queen Frigga’s ladies.”

“Are you kidding?” Darcy asked. “This is the most fun I’ve had since I got here. Well, except for earlier on the practice field. That was pretty awesome too.”

“You did well,” Sif conceded. “Once you managed to keep your feet, that is.”

“The lass did very well to keep up with you, Sif. If you are instructing her, we can expect Lady Darcy to become a formidable opponent before you know it.” Volstagg raised his glass to the two women and took a healthy gulp. “What do you think, Hogun?”

The quietest of the men at the table gazed at Darcy steadily for a moment before saying, “I think that Loki made quite a forceful statement today with her armor.”

Everyone at the table shared a knowing glance. Sif picked up her cup to hide a smile.

“Yes, Loki,” Fandral added, “what will be next? Troubadours announcing her status for anyone who missed this afternoon’s little display?”

“Fandral,” Thor said in a low tone of warning. 

“Thank you all so very much,” Loki said irritably. “I am fortunate indeed to have such helpful friends.”

Darcy’s forehead wrinkled in confusion, and she turned to Loki. “What? What statement? What’s wrong with my armor?”

“There is nothing wrong with it,” Fandral interrupted. “Unless you hoped to have any other dancing partners this evening other than Loki and ourselves.”

“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?” Darcy asked.

Loki was just about to answer, when music filled the hall, effectively cutting him off. Volstagg fixed his gaze speculatively on the pair for a moment, and then pushed his chair back, coming around the table to offer Darcy his hand.

“May I have this dance?” he politely requested, eyes twinkling under thick, auburn brows.

She swiveled back to Loki, and he nodded his approval. Volstagg moved through the crowd like a bulldozer, tugging her along in his wake. 

“You’ll have to forgive us, Lady Darcy. No one meant any harm by the teasing,” he said to her when they’d finally reached the open space where the other dancers were converging. “It is just that we have never seen Loki so smitten.”

The dancers began to form two lines, and she was separated from Volstagg as he joined the men across from her. The dance mainly seemed to involve stomping your feet and clapping. On every third combination, the dancers met in the middle, turned a circle and switched sides. It wasn’t what she was used to, but Darcy picked it up pretty quickly.

“What do you mean?” she finally got to ask Volstagg, when they met up again.

“You truly don’t know what him giving you a gift of matching armor to his own means?” Volstagg looked at her with surprise. 

They split up again, and she waited impatiently until they were back together. “No. I have no idea.”

“Loki is a Prince of Asgard,” Volstagg said. “His royal armor is a sign of that honor, and can be worn by no other unless it is with his express permission, lass. No one in the kingdom has a helm like his. Except, of course, you.”

She stopped dead in the middle of the room. “So what does that mean?”

“Well, if you were a man, I would say you must have done something quite valiant in his service to have earned it. As you are a woman,” Volstagg paused a moment, and smiled at her in a fatherly way. “I would say the lad likes you. Very much. And now there is not a single man in the palace who is unaware of that fact.”

“So that’s why Fandral said no one else would dance with me. They all know I’m with Loki.”

“Aye. I would not want to come between a prince and someone he was courting, would you?”

The other dancers were still trying to carry on around them as Darcy stood there stunned in their midst. She’d asked Loki to make her armor look like his. _She’d_ done that. And he’d fulfilled her request, knowing the whole time what it meant...and that was weeks ago. 

No wonder he’d hesitated before putting the horns on her helmet. But then what had he said? Darcy tried to think back. He’d said they suited her better than wings, and she’d pretty much tackle-hugged him when she saw them. Oh God. _Thor_ wore wings. Thor wore wings, and Darcy had told Loki she wanted horns like his instead.

She bounced up on her tiptoes, trying to see across the room where their table was. It was a lost cause, but none of that mattered, because Loki wasn’t at the table. He was making his way over to where she and Volstagg were standing, an apprehensive expression on his face.

“Hey,” she said, when he finally reached her. “Sooooo.... Armor, huh?”

Volstagg clapped Loki on the back. “I should go see if they’ve brought more trays out to our table. It would be a crime to let this physique waste away to nothing.” He patted his massive belly. “Thank you for the dance, Lady Darcy.”

The large warrior pushed his way back through the crowd, leaving Loki and Darcy on their own.

“Will you dance with me?” he asked. 

“Nope,” she replied, shaking her head. “But I’ll totally go somewhere where we can talk.”

He swallowed nervously. “Of course.”

They ended up in a tiny courtyard off the side of the hall. Darcy took a deep breath of the fresh, cool night air, and then promptly tackle-hugged him. Again.

“I take it you are not angry,” Loki said, lifting her slightly off the ground as he got his arms around her.

“Are you serious?” she asked, giggling. “Yeah, I’m totally furious that you basically told all of Asgard that I’m your girl." She rolled her eyes. "God, you’re adorable. I can’t even handle it. Loki, why didn’t you tell me what a big deal the armor was when I asked for it? I was so damn clueless. I basically insulted you, didn’t I? And you never said.”

“Trust me, Darcy, insulted was the last thing I was feeling. I did have a very strong urge to throw you over my shoulder and seek the nearest bed, though.” He smirked at her.

She giggled again. “You have no idea how into that I would have been.”

“Hm,” Loki said. “Next time tell me. I would find myself hard-pressed to refuse you.”

“You got it, Mischief. Now, I think you asked me to dance. Is that offer still on the table?”

The offer was still on the table. Darcy spent the rest of the night either dancing with him or one of the Warriors Three. She even got Hogun out on the the floor once. After that victory, she pulled Sif up from the table, and dragged her, laughingly protesting, into the center of the room. 

“Come on, it will be fun,” Darcy coaxed, backing up while tugging the taller girl after her. 

“Darcy, I was truly content at the table,” Sif replied. “There is no need for this.”

“There’s always a need for this, Sif. Live a little. Shake what your momma gave you. Oh look…” Darcy purposefully bumped into Thor who was standing at the edge of the dancers with a tankard in his hand. “...just the God of Thunder I was hoping to find. Sif needs a dance partner. Here,” she said, taking the tankard from him, “I’ll hold onto that for you.”

Sif looked as if she wanted to strangle Darcy, but Thor just smiled and offered her his arm. “Shall we, Sif?”

She totally had to take it. No one could refuse the Crown Prince of Asgard. Especially not the night before his coronation. 

“Have fun you two!” she called after them as Thor led Sif in the dance.

Loki appeared behind her as she took a sip from Thor’s tankard. “Be careful with that, mortal, or you shall be no use to me later,” he teased.

Oh yeah. Later. Darcy smiled. They were going to be doing _so_ much science. She couldn’t wait.


	22. Ménage à Mischief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bow chicka wow wow... (in stereo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is in fact, NSFW. Two Loki's-worth of NSFW. You've been warned. :D
> 
> ************************************************

Darcy had just finished getting ready for bed, when there was a knock on her door. She answered it to find the hall outside completely empty. Confused, she shut the door, only to hear a second knock. This time she yanked it open and leaned out into the hall dressed only in a tiny shift, in an attempt to catch the culprit.

“I know you’re there, Loki. Stop knocking and come inside,” she hissed quietly, trying not to alert anyone to her late-night guest. 

“Perhaps you should turn around, mortal,” came his voice from behind her. 

She spun around to see two Lokis lounging on her bed, long legs stretched out in front of them and boots crossed at the ankles. 

“Mmm,” one of them said, eyes traveling over her body in the short muslin slip. “You look lovely.”

“Lovelier still when we remove that glamour,” the other one responded, and snapped his fingers.

Darcy could feel the magical haze of the glamour fade away into vapor and dissipate. “Hey, Mischiefs,” she said tugging on the hem of her shift self-consciously. 

“Stop that,” the Loki on the left chided. “You look beautiful. Don’t be shy. Not with me.”

“Is that you?” she asked, and he held up his wrist with the cuff fastened around it. The double’s wrist, she noted, was bare.

He patted the empty spot on the bed between them. “Join us?”

This was really happening. She took a deep breath, and crossed to room so she could get on the bed with them. “Hi,” she said to the double, once she was settled with her back against the pillows.

“Hello, Darcy,” he replied, conjuring up a cup of wine and handing it to her. 

She looked at the wine and then back him curiously. “Can you drink this?” she asked.

The double smiled at her, pulled the cup over to his mouth with her hand still around it, and took a sip. 

“When he does that, do you taste it?” She shifted so she could see Loki.

“If I want to,” he said. “I control which senses I wish to experience.”

“That’s amazing. Can you just do more yous or…”

Before she could finish her question, she was faced with a second Darcy, sitting on the bed in front of her. The Darcy double wiggled her fingers in greeting. “Hey, what’s shaking?” she said in a perfect imitation of Darcy’s voice.

The real Darcy laughed. “Do someone else!”

Loki waved his hand and the Darcy double morphed into Jane. “Darce! Hi! How are things going in Asgard?”

“Wow,” Darcy said, as he made the Jane double disappear. “That even sounded like her.”

“I have always had an excellent talent for mimicry,” Loki replied with a shrug.

She grinned at him. “You are definitely the coolest guy who ever courted me.”

“Am I?” He stroked a finger over her cheek. 

“Yep. So… About all the um, science that we have planned.” She looked back and forth between him and the double. “I’ve never actually done this before, and I might be the tiniest bit, um....” 

“You are nervous,” Loki said understandingly. 

Darcy swallowed. “A little bit. Not that I don’t want to or anything, because I do. I just think maybe I need something to get me over the nerves.”

“I see.” He nodded. “May I try something, then?”

“Sure,” she replied. The sound of water running filled the room. “Are we going swimming?” Darcy asked, glancing towards the archway that led to the bathing pool.

“We are going to play first. How does that sound?” Loki told her with a smile. 

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “What does playing entail?"

The Loki double slid off the bed and held his hand to her. “Come and see.”

Twenty minutes later, Darcy was shrieking with laughter as the two Lokis played a very involved game of chase/keep-away with her as the prize. There really didn’t seem to be any rules, except that she was the prey, and the two of them were on opposing teams, chasing her all over the bathing pool in an attempt to capture her as their own. The double had her at the moment, and was holding her protectively behind his back as Loki stalked towards them through the water. 

“I’m totally going to get away,” she said to the double, squirming to get free from where he had her pinned between the corner and his body.

“I doubt that,” he retorted, catching hold of her wet shift in one hand and holding fast.

“Uh, yeah I am,” she assured him, and ducked down into the water, shedding her shift on the way and squeezing through small space between his legs and the side of the bathing pool.

He snatched at her ankles as she took off for the far side of the pool, but missed. She was just turning around to taunt him, when she felt arms wrap around her.

“Hello, mortal.” Loki pulled her up against his tall frame so they were facing each other. “You seem to have lost your shift.”

“It was a necessary sacrifice,” she said.

“Was it?” he asked, letting his heated gaze drift over her for a moment. 

She felt the air catch in her lungs. “It seemed like it at the time.”

He lifted her higher and coaxed her legs around his waist. “And now what does it seem like?”

Another set of arms slid around her from behind, and warm lips pressed against her shoulder.

“Loki,” she whispered, letting the double tug her back so she was supported between them. 

“Tell me to stop at any time, and this all stops,” he promised. “You have the control here, Darcy.”

“I do?” She shivered as the double’s mouth moved from her shoulder to her neck.

“Test me,” Loki said. “Tell me what you want.”

Darcy sent him a visual request through the bracelet, and his face lit up with a licentious smile.

“Oh lovely girl,” the double murmured in her ear, “how could we refuse that?”

Loki moved her so she was sitting on the edge at the shallowest part of the pool, and then slowly pushed her knees apart. “Look at you,” he said, sliding his palms up the inside of her thighs. “I shall be standing in front of all of Asgard at the coronation tomorrow and thinking of the way you look at this very moment. Beautiful, uninhibited…” He bent his head and ran his tongue over her bottom lip. “...quivering for my touch.”

The double stepped between her legs as well. “Lean back on your hands, Darcy.”

She did and he knelt down in front of her, reaching up to pull her body closer to the edge of the pool. Loki moved so that he was standing outside the span of her legs, and gently traced his fingers across her collarbone. Darcy arched into his touch just as the double leaned forward to place an open-mouthed kiss over her clit. He followed it up with a long, slow lick that made her bite her lip in anticipation.

“I want...” she said. “Please, Loki.”

He stretched over her so he could kiss her, and let his hand slide down her body. His fingers caressed her skin, skimming around where his twin was pleasuring her and stroking just inside her entrance.

She rocked forward impatiently, trying to encourage him to stop teasing. He chuckled, and gave her what she wanted, sliding his long fingers in and out of her indolently as the double continued to lave her with his tongue.

“How does it feel?” Loki asked in a low tone. “His mouth and my fingers.”

“Seriously?” Darcy gasped as the double spread her wider with his thumbs so he could suck on her clit. “Fuck. That. Don’t stop.”

“Do you have any idea,” Loki said dipping his head to take a nipple in his mouth, “how desperate I am to be inside you right now? All the ways I want to have you?”

“Give me another minute, Mischief, and I’m all yours,” Darcy said. 

“We can do better than that,” the double replied, and then did something with his tongue that had her digging her nails into the wide stone tiles of the floor

“Oh my fucking _god_ , please…” she begged. 

“Which god?” Loki asked, curling his fingers inside her. “This god?”

Darcy whimpered, and he lifted his head up, green eyes burning into her blue ones. 

“My name, Darcy. Say it.”

“Loki....” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “Loki, I’m so close.”

He curled his fingers again, and she felt the first flutters of her orgasm start to pulse under the double’s tongue. She looked up wildly, seeking him out. Loki seemed to instinctively know what she wanted, cupping the back of her head with one hand so he could slant his mouth over hers. Sensation surged through her, rocking her completely as she moaned into his kiss.

Afterwards, the double stood up. He licked his lips and smiled at her, then cupped Darcy’s face in his hands, pulling her to him so he could kiss her as well.

“I want you,” she said to Loki, once her mouth was free.

“And I you,” he said, raising his hand as if to send the double away.

She caught his wrist before he could complete the motion. "Don't."

Loki paused, studying her carefully. “Are you certain?”

“Completely,” Darcy answered.

“This is still all for you, Darcy,” the double said. “Nothing will happen that you do not want.”

“Yeah I know,” she replied, reaching out to sweep some loose strands of hair off his forehead. “Tell me something, when I touch you, does it feel good for you? Can you feel?”

He took her hand in his and brushed his lips over her palm. “I can feel you.”

She looked at Loki. “You feel what he feels, right? So if I touch you both, you feel both at the same time?”

Loki nodded. 

A sly grin spread across Darcy’s face, “Oh Mischief, we are about to make so much science up in that boat, they may have to make a whole new scientific journal just to contain it.” She stood up and sashayed through the archway into the bedroom, calling over her shoulder, “Are you two coming or what?”

“I like her,” the double said.

“Of course you do,” Loki replied, quickly moving out of the pool. “She’s mine.”


	23. Ten More Minutes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody isn't ready to relinquish their mortal...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some things about this chapter:
> 
> 1\. It is not safe for work  
> 2\. When Loki says 'ten minutes' what he really means is 'get ready to have orgasms, mortal'. (because that was never ten minutes just then)  
> 3\. There is enough fluff to stuff a muppet. 
> 
> You have all been warned. Smuff Ahoy! :D
> 
> ********************************************************

“Darcy… Daaaaaarcy…” Loki’s voice vibrated under her cheek as his fingertips glided down her back in swirling patterns.

She reached behind her and swatted at his hand. “Sleeping.”

The hand came back, joined by another. “Wake up, mortal. Your god requests your presence.”

“Go be godly somewhere else, Mischief, I’m tired,” Darcy mumbled. “I was up half the night with these two very demanding guys.”

“Was I demanding?” Loki asked. “I do not recall you complaining.”

Darcy didn’t recall complaining either. She _did_ recall moaning in ecstasy as they both did extremely naughty things to her. For hours. In tandem. God, it was awesome. She stretched languorously against Loki, and his restless hands paused their teasing to pull her closer.

After fighting waking up for a few more seconds, she gave up and opened her eyes, blinking as the unfamiliar room came into view. “Oh, that’s right. We ended up in your room.”

“We did,” he agreed. “I much enjoyed having you in my bed all night.”

She smiled. “Yeah, me too. I um… I liked the other stuff too.”

He made a sound that could only be described as completely smug. “Did you? Which ‘stuff’?”

“You know very well which stuff, Mischief. I’m not about to stroke your ego,” Darcy retorted.

“It was not my ego I was hoping you would stroke, Darcy,” he replied, and she shivered at the tone of his voice.

“Not your ego, huh?” She walked her fingers down his chest and over his hip. “I wonder what you could possibly be referr…” Her hand came in contact with a very, very aroused Loki. “Well, hello there. Is this all for me?”

He rolled his hips up under her. “As I can see no other mortals using me as a pillow, then yes. That is all for you.”

Darcy closed her hand around him and slid it up and down his shaft. She swiped her thumb over the tip on her next pass, and he thrust up into her fingers. 

Do we have time for this?” she asked. “Not that I don’t want you, but won’t all the coronation stuff be starting soon?”

Loki wrapped his hand around hers tightly, and pulled it down his erection again. “Ten minutes. Ten minutes, Darcy, and I will return you to your room before anyone can discover us.”

Ten minutes? She could suddenly hear the bustle of maids in the hall outside the door. They really _were_ cutting it close. 

“Everyone is waking up, Loki. We’re going to get caught,” she said, reluctantly pulling her hand free and maneuvering off of him to sit on the bed. 

He caught her hips in his hands and tugged her back down, rolling on top of her so his face was hovering over hers. “Ten minutes,” he coaxed.

“Loki.” She tried to give him her sternest, most unswayable glare.

He answered it with a pleading look that nearly knocked her flat. That complete shit. She was already starting to cave.

“I promise you, no one will be the wiser.” His bright green eyes gazed down at her, still all wide and beseeching. “Stay with me. I will put a double in your bed to fool the maid.”

“You know how unfair that is, right? Making the big eyes, and the pouty lips, and the like...helpless, inexperienced teenage boy expression? How do you even _do_ that?” she asked, trying to hide how turned on she was.

“I look inexperienced?” His eyebrows lifted up in surprise.

“Yes. And I have no idea how you manage it, because we both know you aren’t. You’ve probably been phenomenal at sex since your very first time,” Darcy surmised. 

Loki blinked sweetly at her. “I do not know what you mean.”

She burrowed her head into his shoulder giggling. “Stop! Oh my God, Loki. Haven’t you ever heard of overkill?” 

“As the overkill appears to be working, I have no intention of stopping,” he replied, settling himself firmly between her legs. “Mmmm, you are so very wet, my Darcy. It would be cruel to send you back to your room in such a state. Besides, you have just claimed I look inexperienced. Perhaps you should take me in hand and teach me.”

Darcy laughed again. “Yeah. Right. Teach _you_. That’s cute.” She paused a moment so she could reach up and tuck his loose hair behind his ears. “What was it like anyway?” she asked.

His lips brushed over her collarbone. “What was what like?”

“You know, your first time.”

“You really wish to talk about this _now_?” Loki rocked his hips insistently against hers.

She shrugged. “Why not, I’m curious. You never talk about this stuff. Besides, you tell me, and I’ll give you your ten minutes.”

It was clear he was weighing his options. Finally he rolled his eyes at her and began speaking. “When I came of age, Thor engaged a courtesan to come to my rooms. It was somewhat customary. I believe Odin did the same for him.”

Her jaw dropped. “Thor sent you some trained sex slave?”

“She was not a slave. Although she was certainly trained,” he mused.

Darcy grinned. “Wow. How was it?”

Once again Loki fell silent, as if he was deciding how much to tell her. “Pleasant.”

Her grin widened exponentially. “I bet.”

“And you?” Loki cocked an eyebrow at her. 

“Ummmm… I was in college, and it was in my dorm with my boyfriend at the time. It was fine, I guess.”

His gaze turned serious. “I should have visited to Midgard more often. Perhaps I would have found you sooner.”

“Why? So you could have gotten to me first?” she teased.

“No, Darcy. So that you would never have had a single experience that would only qualify as ‘fine’.”

“Damn.”

“Indeed.”

“Well, you have the next ten minutes to erase the whole thing from my mind,” she said, giving a slow roll of her hips beneath him. “I’m a little sore, though.”

“I hurt you?” he asked. “Why did you not say?”

She slid her arms around his neck. “Because you didn’t. You’re really big, and this boat was seriously rocking last night. I liked it. Trust me. Just, you know, be gentle.”

“Show me,” he said, rubbing the tip of his nose over hers. “Show me how gentle you wish me to be.”

Darcy almost melted. She was pretty sure he knew exactly how gentle to be, but he was letting her take the lead anyway. There were so many facets to Loki, and the affectionate, boyish one was probably her favorite of them all. Along with all the rest, of course.

“Well,” she said, guiding his hand down with hers. “You could do this.”

She gripped his length and rubbed the head over her clit. He removed her hand and took over.

“Like this?” he inquired, moving it over her in leisurely circular movements.

Her eyes fluttered shut as her hips lifted. “Just like that.”

“Ah,” Loki said. “What else?”

“Lower,” she told him, biting her lip. “You could do it lower.”

“Here?” He shifted so that he was shallowly caressing her entrance. 

Darcy arched on the bed. “Yes.”

“Part your lips, mortal,” he requested, and when she did, he covered her mouth with his own, slipping his tongue inside to tease over hers.

She slid her fingers into his hair, loving the feel of the silky strands. His unabashed sigh of happiness made her heart constrict. The entire palace might be stirring around them, but right now, what was taking place in Loki’s bed was the only thing that mattered to Darcy. 

“Inside,” she whispered. “Slowly.”

He didn’t reply, just sought her eyes out as he began to move in long, gliding strokes. Each one brought with it a rolling wave of pleasure, and a slight throb of pain. A delicious, aching tension started to build down low in her belly.

“I was wrong,” Loki said while placing kisses down the column of her throat. “This is what I shall remember today when I am standing on the dais. You, beautifully disheveled from our coupling, coming undone beneath me.”

His words were like a trigger, setting loose the tightly wound tension in one fell swoop. Darcy’s release hummed through her like electricity, the sensation of a thousand tiny sparks flooding her and filling her with bliss. Loki lasted through two more thrusts and then spilled over with her, body trembling with the effort to hold still as he gasped her name. 

When he began to withdraw afterwards, she stopped him by wrapping her legs around his hips. “Just a little longer,” she begged.

He acquiesced immediately, relaxing on top of her. “I thought you wished to hurry back to your rooms.”

“A girl’s allowed to change her mind,” Darcy replied. “Anyway, you can hardly blame me. It’s not my fault that you feel so good.”

Loki started to answer, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. He quickly rolled so she was cradled to his side, and pulled the blankets up to mostly obscure them.

“Come!” he called, and Darcy heard the door open and shut as the maid came in.

“You can’t be serious,” she whispered, burrowing closer into his chest. 

He brought his lips close to her ear. “Another maid is in your room right now with the double of you I created. If this one sees that I have someone in my bed, all suspicion will be off of you.”

She thought about that for a second. “Smart.” 

“I know,” Loki said with a smile. “I am dangerously deceitful when I need to be.”

“Are we stuck here right now?” She listened as the maid moved around the room, picking up empty wine goblets, and doing something that sounded like sweeping the fireplace.

“She will be done shortly. Why?”

“We haven’t talked about the coronation yet,” she said. “I thought we would last night, but you were too busy making a Darcy sandwich out of me.”

The look on Loki’s face made her stifle a giggle in the pillows. 

“You’re speechless,” she murmured gleefully. “I love it.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it again, but she could see the glint of mischief starting to brew in his eyes. The second the door snicked shut behind the maid, Loki pounced.

“A sandwich? Really? Come here, _sandwich_ ,” he said, pinning her to the bed with one hand while mercilessly tickling her with the other.

She slapped her palms over her mouth in an attempt to keep quiet as she convulsed with laughter. Loki continued torturing her for a few more seconds, and then stopped, hauling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head.

“You wished to know earlier about my first time. Well Darcy, you were my very first ‘sandwich’.”

“What? Really?” She pushed free of his arms and sat up. “You never used one of your doubles for that before?”

He shook his head, corners of his lips curling up affectionately. “No. Asgardian women are not particularly accepting of magic during sex. You, however, are gloriously open to it.”

“Huh,” Darcy said. “We’ll they’re missing out. More for me, though.” She grinned at him. “We shared a first. That’s sorta awesome, Loki.”

His hand found hers and he threaded their fingers together. “You are a treasure, Darcy. All the more reason that you must be protected today. The Frost Giants will attack after the coronation. I want you safely locked away in my rooms before then. No one can pass through my wards unless I wish it, and they will hold even should something happen to me.”

“Don’t,” she said. “Nothing is going to happen to you. You said the place would be crawling with guards.”

“It will be,” he assured her. “Once the coronation has ended, all the guards will return to their posts. I am just ensuring your safety regardless of the outcome. Should something happen to me, my mother will assist you in returning home to Midgard.”

She covered his mouth with her free hand. “Seriously. Stop that. We’re both going to be fine. Afterwards we’ll meet up and celebrate with sandwiches.”

Loki chuckled, removing her hand from his lips. “With an incentive like that, I am certain to come back to you.”

“You’d better. I’m not sure if you can tell, but I really like you, Mischief.”

There it was again, the bright, boyish expression of delight. 

She ducked her head down to hide her face. “Oh my God...don’t. I have to go back to my rooms. For real this time.”

Long arms slid around her waist. “Ten more minutes.”

“ _Loki!_ ”

“I will make you a tiara to wear for the coronation,” he offered.

She thought about it. A tiara. It was tempting.

Loki leaned over her. “Ten minutes, one tiara, and you may have a double while I fight the Frost Giants.”

Wait. A double? “Sold. To the man in the gold cuff.”

“I knew that would work,” he responded, starting to kiss his way down her body.

“Yeah, but we have to keep it to ten minutes this time. Okay? Loki? Are you listening to me? Seriously, ten min... Oh my God. Oh my _God_. Nevermind… Take as long as you want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I forget, I need to watch the movie again. Probably sometime this weekend. Now, I was thinking maybe we could sort out a chatroom situation ( **Hanna** , do you know how to do that?) and anyone who wanted to, could watch with me. (You'd either need to have the movie or find it online, whichever, I'm totally not picky) Lemme know what you think. :D


	24. Coronation of Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor doesn't become king. Loki wallows in guilt, and, in Darcy's opinion, a very stupid decision is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter. :D I had to use some of dialogue from the movie and script. (for obvious reasons) Just as a disclaimer, I don't own any rights to those things, and I changed them up to include Darcy. So very little of it is verbatim. 
> 
> Now, in other news. I have decided to leave the chatroom open for all of you to use if you want. There will be more info on that in the bottom note. So, if you are interested, feel free to check it out.
> 
> ******************************************************

The main hall was filled with a noisy buzz of excitement as everyone waited for Thor to make his entrance. Darcy was standing next to Sif, who kept glancing at the huge double doors, and then looking away with this secretive little smile.

“So,” Darcy said, after catching the smile for the third time. “What happened with you and Thunder Boy last night?”

Sif shifted her eyes over to Darcy and gave a small toss of her head. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Uhuh. Right. Because you’re totally not acting like something went down.” She poked Sif surreptitiously in the side. “I can see you blushing. Spill.”

“This is not the time or place, Darcy,” Sif replied. 

“Sif and Thor sitting in a tree…” she started to sing, checking to see if anyone was paying attention.

“DARCY!” Sif exclaimed, and the mortal girl stopped and grinned at her.

“What? I was just trying to get into the spirit of things. This is a festive occasion. Singing is very festive.”

Sif folded her arms over her chest and glared. “Are you quite finished with your attempts to embarrass me?”

“Nope.” Darcy shook her head. “Not until you tell me what happened that made you all smiley today.”

“Fine. If you must know, Thor walked me back to my rooms last night.” She looked down, and Darcy could see her hiding another smile.

“Did he now?” Darcy asked. “And then what? He just shook your hand? Patted you on the back and said ‘good game’? God, I could totally see him doing that. It’s sort of sad actually.”

“Darcy!” Sif said again. “Honestly, you are terrible.”

She flashed Sif another grin. “Yes I am, but I’m also about to find out if Thor kissed you goodnight.”

“No. You are not.”

“Um. Yeah. I totally am.”

“I have no intention of telling you anything else,” Sif hissed.

“Really? Was he that bad at it?” Darcy asked, eyes bright and teasing.

Sif made a sound of exasperation. “No, he was not!”

For a moment there was dead silence as Sif realized what she had just admitted.

Darcy slapped her hands over her mouth. “SIF!” she shrieked from behind them. “Oh my god! That’s fantastic!”

The beautiful warrior colored up to her hairline. “I did not mean…”

“Yes you did,” Darcy said, cutting her off, “and seriously, it’s great. I knew the two of you would be good together. Besides, this means you won’t kill me for tricking you into dancing with him, right?”

“I am still debating on that,” Sif replied dryly. “If you so much as breathe a word of this to anyone, I will cheerfully slay you and never look back.”

“My lips are sealed,” Darcy promised. “Anyway, I totally kiss Loki all the time.”

Sif’s jaw dropped.

“What? Now we’re even. If I tell on you and Thor, you can tell on me and Loki. It’s like mutual blackmail. All the best friendships have it. So, how was it? Did he use tongue?”

Fortunately, Sif was saved from having to answer by resounding fanfare as Loki and Frigga entered the hall. Loud cheering greeted Asgard’s Queen and her youngest son. Darcy stuck two fingers in her mouth and gave a piercing whistle that had everyone around her laughing, but she didn’t care. Loki looked so pretty in all his armor, proudly leading his mother up to her spot. It would have been a crime not to acknowledge it.

He caught her eye on his way to the dais and flashed her an affectionate grin that made her heart stutter. _How much trouble will I get into if I jump you right here in front of all these people?_ she asked him through the cuff.

It took Loki a few seconds to respond, but once he was in place up front he sent back, _We would both end up in a cell._

After a moment’s contemplation she replied, _The same cell?_

He ducked his head and she could she his shoulders shake with a silent chuckle. She was still smiling when a second round of fanfare announced Thor’s entrance into the hall. The roar of the crowd was almost deafening as he walked down the central aisle, holding Mjölnir aloft in one hand. 

“Oh please,” Sif muttered, rolling her eyes, but it was obvious that she was happy for him.

Darcy bumped her with her shoulder. “Your boyfriend has a fanclub.”

“He is not my…” she began, but abruptly stopped when Thor drew level with them and turned his brilliant, triumphant smile on her.

“Yeah he is,” Darcy asserted, watching as he kept his gaze fixed on Sif as he passed by. “You two are adorable. I bet he carves your names into Yggdrasil with a little heart around them.”

Thor made it to the front, and the entire room went silent as Odin banged his spear on the ground and began to speak. Darcy listened curiously while Thor started taking the vows that would transfer the rule of Asgard over to him. Seeing a king hand his crown over was fascinating. She wondered why Odin was doing it, though. He still seemed capable of ruling. Did he just want to transfer the kingdom to Thor while he was still able to advise him and help to shape the ruler he would become? It would be interesting to see the dynamic once Thor was actually king. She had a feeling Odin might be reluctant to turn the reins over completely.

The interaction between father and son continued until they reached the end of the vows. Here it came. Darcy leaned forward to see better as Odin started to proclaim Thor the new King of Asgard. He was midway into his sentence when he suddenly froze, and a strange look passed over his face. Everyone in the hall focused on him in confusion, and then he said just two words.

“Frost Giants.”

The entire room erupted into pandemonium. Darcy was jostled from all sides as people surged towards the doors, and the guards in the room began converging on the dais to join the royal family. Loki spun around, fighting his way through guests and guards to get to Darcy. He wrapped her in his arms and teleported her directly up to his rooms.

“Stay here,” he said urgently. “I will come for you as soon as I am able.”

“I thought they weren’t supposed to attack until after the coronation,” she replied, refusing to let go of him.

“They were not." Worry creased his forehead. "There are few guards in the vaults right now. I must go assist them.”

“I know. Please be careful, Mischief,” Darcy begged. “I’ve seen what the Frost Giants are capable of.”

Loki gently removed her hands from his tunic and held them. “I am coming back to you, I swear it. Wait here for me.”

“I won't leave your room. I promise.”

He kissed her quickly and disappeared. She was still staring at the space he’d just vacated when she heard the sound of footsteps walking up behind her. 

“I believe you requested a double,” his voice drawled as arms encircled her ribcage.

Darcy leaned back into the embrace. “I’m so scared for you.”

“I won’t do anything foolish, Darcy,” he replied through the double. "You have my word.”

“Okay.” She placed her hands over the double’s, and he folded his fingers through hers. "What's happening now?"

“I am with my father and brother. My mother has been secured back in her rooms,” Loki told her. 

There was nothing for a moment, and then his fingers tightened around hers as he breathed in sharply. 

“What? Loki?” Darcy half-turned in his arms to look up at him. 

“The guards…” he said, expression horror struck. “Gods. They are all dead.”

“Which guards? What’s happening?” She watched as the double’s eyes moved back and forth vacantly, seeing something she couldn’t.

“The Jötunns are dead as well. All of them,” Loki said sounding numb. “Slain by the Destroyer.”

“And the casket thing?” she asked.

He finally met her eyes with his own. “Safe. Untouched.”

She gave a sigh of relief, then thought of the dead guards and felt sick. 

“My brother is arguing with my father. He wishes to go to Jötunheim and question Laufey. Thor sees the attempt to steal the casket as an act of war.”

She shook her head furiously. “Yeah, but it wasn’t. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t gotten captured…”

“No, Darcy,” he disagreed. “The fault is mine. I showed them the passageway into Asgard.”

“To save _me_ ,” she insisted. 

The Loki double compressed his lips ruefully. “I would have done far more to protect you.” He studied her silently for a moment and then said, “There is little else to do in the vaults. I am returning.”

The double began to shimmer all over, entire form swirling with speckles of green magic before turning into a smoky haze and vanishing. Darcy waited impatiently for Loki to get back. Seconds later, he appeared in front of her, looking completely upset. He quickly crossed the room, poured them himself a cup of wine, and drained it before speaking.

“My father has gone to inform the families of the guards that they have been killed.” Loki set the cup down with slightly shaking fingers. “I knew them, Darcy. Have known them most of my life. Their blood is on my hands.”

She didn’t know what to say. It still felt like none of this would have happened had it not been for her. “I’m sorry. I still feel like this is all my fault. I got dumped in your lap, Loki. You were just trying to take care of me and get me home. Maybe that’s what you should do. Things would be so much less complicated for you if I were back on Earth.”

“Going home won’t bring them back, Darcy.” His eyes were bleak. “Is guilt all it is, though? Do you want to leave?”

She could hear the ‘me’ on the end of Loki’s sentence even though he hadn’t said it. “No," she answered truthfully. "I don’t want to leave.”

“Then stay.” He finally approached her. “Stay until I can ensure there is no threat to you, or Asgard, from S.H.I.E.L.D. Once I have done that, I will return you if you wish, and visit you on Midgard.”

“You mean, like...sleepovers?” she asked, trying to get a smile out of him.

It worked. Loki cupped her face in one hand as his expression softened. “As if I could refuse a request to share your bed.”

“You’ll like Earth,” she told him. “I haven’t even gotten around to showing you Netflix yet. Or sugary breakfast cereals.”

At the mention of food her stomach growled. 

“Come,” he said, looping her arm through his. “There may not have been a coronation, but there is still a feast just waiting to be eaten. If we hurry, we may even manage to arrive before Volstagg consumes it.”

Just as they were entering the room where the food was laid out, they heard an angry roar followed by a deafening crash. Darcy peeked around a pillar to see Thor standing behind an overturned table with a grimace of fury twisting his features. 

“Uh… I think your brother needs a time-out,” she whispered to Loki, staring wide-eyed at the destroyed remains of their lunch.

“Give me a moment to speak with him,” he replied. “Perhaps I can temper his anger.”

Loki slipped out from behind the column, and walked with deliberate steps over to where Thor was now sitting.

“It is unwise to be in my company right now, brother,” the God of Thunder said, recognizing the sound of Loki’s footsteps. 

Loki ignored his warning and sat down next to him, face sympathetic. “Who said I was wise?”

“This,” Thor said, voice still full of wrath, “was to be my day of triumph.”

“It will come. In time.” Loki responded gently.

Thor made a sound of derision, and Loki moved so his dark head was close to his brother’s blonde one. Darcy couldn't hear all of what he said then, but he was clearly comforting him. While they were still quietly conferring, Sif and the Warriors Three entered the room. Volstagg immediately located the only intact tray of food left, and began assembling the contents into some sort of towering snack. 

Darcy made a face. There was no way she was letting him eat the rest of the food. She’d seen it first, dammit. Besides, unless she was mistaken, that was the cheese platter. It was fundamentally wrong that Volstagg got to eat the entire cheese platter. There was brie on there.

She’d just taken her first step out from behind the pillar when she heard Thor loudly exclaim, “Exactly!”

“Exactly what?” Darcy asked, retrieving a face-up plate off the floor, and heading over to where Volstagg was standing.

“Lady Darcy,” Thor said, acknowledging her. “Loki was just saying how my anger at the Jötunns was justified.”

“No, no, no, no, no,” Loki corrected. “I said that your anger at the attack was understandable, but there was nothing to be done about it. Unless you wanted to defy father and potentially open Asgard up to war.”

“Asgard _has_ been opened up to war!” his brother retorted vehemently. “As I said to father in the vaults, this attack broke the truce with Laufey!” He abruptly stood and started pacing the room.

“Oh no,” Loki said, getting in front of him and halting his stride. “I know that look. Thor, do not do this.”

"Do you have another plan to protect our borders?” he questioned Loki, throwing his arms wide in defiance.

“Thor,” Loki replied calmly in the face of his brother’s rage, “it is madness.”

Volstagg finally looked up from his tray. “What sort of madness?”

“Nothing,” Loki inserted. “Thor was just making a jest.”

“The safety of Asgard is no jest,” Thor growled. “I say we go to Jötunheim and discover how they were able to breach our defenses.”

“ _What_?” Fandral gave a small laugh of disbelief. “Going to Jötunheim isn’t like a trip to Midgard. It is not as if you can just arrive, summon a storm and have the mortals worship you as a god. We are talking about Frost Giants. _Jötunheim_ , Thor. For once I agree with Loki. This idea is madness.”

“Thank you,” Loki replied. “At least I am not the only voice of reason.”

“And if the Jötunns do not kill you, your father will,” Volstagg added humorously as he grudgingly allowed Darcy to scoop a third of the contents on his tray onto her plate.

She grinned up at him. “You’re doing the honorable thing here, Volstagg.”

He snorted, but she could tell it was all for show.

“Anyway,” she continued, “isn’t going to Jötunheim forbidden?”

“Yes,” Sif chimed in, coming to stand by Darcy. “Thor, of all the laws in Asgard, this is one that you must not break. What is there to be gained by defying your father in this?”

Thor glanced around at his assembled friends, and his expression immediately changed from arrogant irritation to one of cajoling friendliness. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him and bit into a piece of cheese.

“My friends,” he began with a charismatic smile. “Have you forgotten all that we have done together?”

Loki seemed to realize what his brother was up to, and did an immediate face-palm. 

She brushed her fingers over the cuff. _He’s going to talk them into it, isn’t he?_

 _Yes,_ Loki sent back, and she wanted to face-palm as well. 

Meanwhile, Thor had sauntered over to where Fandral was standing and clapped him on the back. “Who brought you into the sweet embrace of the most exotic maidens in all of Yggdrasil?”

“You did,” Fandral replied.

 _Ew!_ Darcy sent Loki. _Using the objectification of women to convince him to go to Jötunheim? Seriously? Your brother is gross._

Thor had switched his attention to Hogun now. “Who led you in the most glorious of battles?”

“You did,” Hogun replied with a fond smile that made Darcy sort of queasy. Who relishes bloodshed that much? Creepy.

“And Volstagg,” the God of Thunder went on, gesturing at the tray of food, “who led you to delicacies so succulent, you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?”

Volstagg pursed his lips before grinning and saying, “You did.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. That was just unfair. Even she knew Volstagg was an easy mark where his stomach was concerned, and she'd just met him. Also, Valhalla was real? She’d have to ask Loki about that.

Lastly, he turned his attentions to Sif. “Tell me, Sif, who proved wrong all those who would scoff at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors in Asgard?”

Sif arched an eyebrow at him. “I did.”

Thor smiled winningly. “True,” he conceded, “but I supported you, Sif.”

They all shared a concerned glance, beginning to realize that Thor was serious about his plan to invade Jötunheim. 

“Come on,” he said, still smiling, “you aren’t going to let Loki and me take all the glory, are you?”

Loki’s mouth opened in shock. “What?!”

Thor turned to him, and for the first time Darcy saw his confidence falter. “You are coming with me of course.”

No. She set her plate down on the edge of the black marble steps running along the side of the room, and gazed at Loki in concern. He’d been put in an impossible situation. If he said no, he'd look like a coward who didn't support his brother. Darcy could see the exact moment when he recognized that, too.

“Yes, of course!” he quickly said, joining Thor where he was standing. “I won't let my brother march into Jötunheim alone. I will be at his side.”

Within moments, the other warriors had pledged their loyalty to the cause, probably so they wouldn’t be outdone by Loki who they obviously considered inferior to themselves. Even Sif had given in and offered to go along. Darcy wanted to take her plate and throw it at them. 

“Then it is decided,” Thor announced with what Darcy considered to be the enthusiastic fervor of a complete idiot. “We go to Jötunheim.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here is the address of the chatroom: http://us20.chatzy.com/18050558016518
> 
> You are all welcome to go there and talk about Loki, or fic, or whatever. I'm not going to put limits on the conversation. My only rule is that you be respectful of each other. I doubt this will be an issue, though. :) We've got a very cool group here. I'd be surprised if there was something that could not be worked out.
> 
> Just a couple of room things: 
> 
> If you want to show that you are doing an action, all you have to do is put /me and then type your action. The action will show up in the same color as you have picked for your name. If you want to post a picture/gif, just right click on the image, copy the url and post it. The image/gif should pop right up in chat like magic. :D
> 
> Thank you to everyone who watched the movie with me last night. I can't tell you how much fun it was to get to virtually hang out with all of you. Special kudos to Hanna, who managed to be hilarious despite internet issues and a nosebleed. Woman, you are a trooper. :D 
> 
> I know a bunch of people wanted a transcript from last night. Unfortunately, I can only access half of it. I probably should have been saving the conversation all along, but I thought I could get it all at the end, and that was my fault. Sorry to everyone about that. If we have another movie night, I promise to save more often so we have a complete transcript.


	25. Cursed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go as planned in Jötunheim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am flailing in angst. For real. Anyone who wants to hang in the GCoE with me is totally welcome. 
> 
>  
> 
> *********************************************************************

Darcy was pacing the small space in front of her fireplace while Loki stood nearby, watching her silence. Finally she stopped, facing him, and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. 

“This is a terrible idea. You know that. What if Laufey tells them about the deal?” 

“I don’t believe he will,” Loki replied. “Laufey won’t want to claim any responsibility for what happened. Not when it would incite a war with Asgard.”

She snorted. “And you think Thor isn’t going to incite a war? Did you _see_ him downstairs? He’s like a giant toddler, waving that hammer and knocking over perfectly good tables. Oh my God, Loki. He’s going to get you all killed in Jötunheim.”

“Not if I can help it. Thor often lets his emotions cloud his reason, it is true, but I have always been able to persuade him to see the bigger picture.”

Darcy cocked an incredulous eyebrow at him, and he made a gesture of acquiescence. 

“Fine. Perhaps it did not work earlier…” Loki began to say.

“No. It didn’t. And now that asshat is going to lead all of you into Frost Giant territory like some sort of conquering hero. Six people. Six, Loki. Against an entire realm of unfriendly Jötunns. This is the guy that Odin picked to be his successor? Seriously?”

His lips twitched. “Did you just call my brother an asshat?”

“What?” Darcy blinked at him. “Oh. Yeah, I did. He _is_ an asshat. And so are the rest of them. I mean, who gets talked into certain death just because some guy points out that he helped you get your dick wet or found you a snack? How are those three the heroes of Asgard?”

This time Loki laughed outright. “You understand then, why I need to go along? They may not appreciate or acknowledge it, but my magic has saved them more times than they are able to count. Without me, Darcy, this little visit to Jötunheim _would_ mean certain death. They need me. My brother needs me.” He shook his head. “I cannot abandon him.”

“Why do I feel like the Warriors Three would abandon you there to save Thor without a second thought?” she asked, scrubbing a hand over her eyes in frustration.

“Because their loyalty lies with him, and he needs that,” Loki responded.

“Right,” she said, “but whose loyalty lies with you?”

A fleeting smile crossed his face. “I am looking at her.”

Darcy felt herself start to turn into mush. It was unacceptable. “Loki, stop ruining my argument by being perfect and adorable. It’s completely unfair,” she grumbled.

“I will allow the adorable, but only because you also noted that I am perfect.” He hooked a finger under her chin and tilted it up so he could look into her face. “In the future, I would prefer more manly adjectives.”

“How about insanely sexy?” she offered. 

Loki appeared to contemplate it for a moment. “That one is acceptable.”

“Add ‘sneaky’ and ‘cheater’ to that list,” Darcy said, “because you know full well that this is all an elaborate plan to distract me from being pissed about your little day trip into Jötunheim.”

“I am the God of Mischief,” he replied with a smirk. “Sneaky and cheater have always been on the list.”

Darcy pressed her forehead against his chest, hiding her face from him. “Please don’t die in Jötunheim, Mischief. Just...please. Please come back here in one piece.”

“As it is in my best interest to do so, I will certainly try. Just out of curiosity, does this mean you would no longer care for me if I were missing pieces?” he teased.

“Dumbass,” she retorted, voice muffled by his leather tunic. “I would like you no matter what, and you know that.” Darcy sighed and shifted so she was looking at him again. “You’re going to keep me posted on what’s happening, right?”

Loki nodded. “I will use our cuffs. Maintaining a double over that distance would be too distracting.”

“Well I definitely don’t want you distracted,” she said. “That could lead to all kinds of bad stuff. Just tell me you’re okay every once in a while.”

“Of course.” He twisted a lock of her hair around his fingers, tugging lightly before releasing it. “They have probably readied the horses by now, Darcy. I should go.”

“Okay,” she said with a small nod. “Remember, no dying, and no getting left behind.”

“Will I be rewarded for meeting your demands?” Loki inquired, setting his hands on her hips.

She circled her arms around his neck, and he straightened up, lifting her off her feet. 

“Yes. Totally rewarded,” Darcy told him. “You will get all the sex. So come back.”

He grinned at her. “I suggest you take a breath now, mortal, as I am about to steal it.”

“Add melodramatic to the list of adjectives, Loki,” she said, rolling her eyes, and he chuckled before kissing her very thoroughly.

By the end of it, she had her legs wrapped around his narrow waist, and Loki’s hands were under her gown, holding her firmly against him. Darcy sucked lightly on his bottom lip before reluctantly breaking the kiss. 

“You should go or I’m going to tie you to my bed,” she advised him. 

“I was just thinking that I might tie you to mine,” he replied. “Perhaps later.”

“Absolutely later.” Darcy gave him a quick peck. “Now get out of here before I change my mind about letting you leave.”

Loki set her back down on the floor, and rubbed his knuckles over her cheek. “I shall return.”

“You’d better. Anyway,” she said with a smile she didn't really feel, “you know where to find me.”

“Oh mortal,” he said in a sexy drawl, just before he disappeared, “I will do so much more than just _find_ you.”

And then Darcy was left alone in her room to worry. She considered going to stay with Frigga, but was pretty sure she’d end up giving the whole thing away if she did. If she was being honest, part of her wanted to give it all away. The whole group could be stopped before they even got to the bifrost, but she was afraid of how much trouble Loki might get into.

Plus they’d all be furious at her. Darcy flopped down on her bed and yanked a pillow over her face. Getting left behind sucked. Not that she’d rather be in Jötunheim. She knew that all she would have been was a hindrance, and the last thing Loki needed was an extra distraction. 

Still...not knowing was so hard. She tossed the pillow onto the floor and sat up. Through her open window Darcy could see the group as they galloped down the bridge. Sliding off the bed, she went out to stand on the balcony. The figures on horseback got smaller, and smaller until she could barely make them out in front of the observatory. 

Her cuff warmed and then flashed the message, _Heimdall is letting us through._

 _Awesome,_ she replied with no enthusiasm.

There was nothing for a short time. She assumed they must be in the bifrost. The bracelet pulsed again, and she looked down to see, _In Jötunheim._

She couldn’t think of what to say to that, so she just curled back up on her bed, and waited for the next update. It didn’t take long.

 _We have been discovered by Laufey,_ Loki sent.

Darcy felt the tension swarm though their connection with his words. _Are you alright?_ she asked nervously.

A stretch of silence followed her question, and she began to fidget with the coverlet on her bed. She didn’t want to send another message in case he was in the middle of dealing with something serious. 

_He is allowing us to leave._ His relief was palpable, washing through her along with her own. Then there was a pause, and the relief turned to dread. _I am sorry, Darcy, but it looks as if there will be a fight after all._

 _What?_ she asked. _Why?_ There was no answer. She pulled the discarded pillow into her lap and wrapped her arms around it, trying not to panic.

Minutes passed. Darcy chewed on her lip. Every once in a while she got a flicker of emotions running through the cuff, but no actual words, so she assumed he must be touching it by accident. Finally, after a period of time that was uncomfortably long to her, four words flashed over the surface along with a sense of desperation.

_Get my father. Now._

Darcy ran. She had no idea where Odin was, so she did the next best thing. The distance between her rooms and Frigga’s seemed interminable, but she finally arrived and burst through the doors. Loki's mother abruptly stood when she entered.

“Darcy?” She crossed the room, alarm clouding her features. “What is wrong?”

“Please, you’ve got to get Odin. Loki and Thor are in Jötunheim, and something went wrong.” Darcy held her cuff up so that Frigga could see the words etched in the gold. 

The Queen put her hand over her mouth in shock. “Jötunheim? Oh no. No. Those foolish boys. Come,” she said, moving quickly towards the door. “We must find my husband before it is too late.”

Frigga practically ran through the corridors with Darcy shadowing her every step. They eventually reached a room that resembled a library. Odin was sitting at a large table in deep discussion with several other men, but he immediately dismissed them when he saw Frigga coming towards him with a look of fear on her face.

“My dear,” he addressed her, standing up, “is everything alright?”

“No. I am afraid Thor has led Loki and his friends into Jötunheim, and they have run into some sort of trouble there. Loki sent the Lady Darcy a message of distress,” she explained. “Odin, I am so frightened.”

His face turned ashen. “Jötunheim? What sort of distress?”

“There were no details,” Frigga said, and held Darcy’s wrist out to Odin so he could see the cuff.

He studied it briefly. “I see. Can you communicate with him again?” he asked Darcy.

She bit her lip and nodded, but before she could touch the bracelet, the words on it disappeared and were replaced with _Hurry, Darcy!_

Frigga gasped. “Odin, we must do something!”

“Courage, Frigga,” he replied. “I will go to Jötunheim myself and bring them home. Laufey will understand that these are the reckless actions of a boy. We have an understanding. He will let them go.”

With that reassurance, Odin strode from the room, shouting for someone to saddle his horse. Frigga took Darcy’s hand into her own, turning it over to read the message from Loki again. 

“What can we do?” Darcy asked, watching Loki’s beautiful script swirl through the metal like a living thing. “Frigga? What do we do now?”

Frigga looked up at her, and Darcy felt her heart sink at the expression on her face. 

“We stay here,” she replied, sitting down heavily in a nearby chair, “and pray that he reaches them in time."

******************************************

Time passed, Darcy wasn’t sure how much. She and Frigga stayed in the library. Neither seemed to know what to do with themselves. Darcy made random circuits of the room, walking past the shelves of books on the walls unseeingly and hoping for some sort of message from Loki. Frigga remained in the chair, hands folded in her lap, silently twisting a heavy carved ring around one of her fingers.

Darcy had just gone over to the window to see if anything was happening out by the observatory, when her cuff blazed to life.

_We are returning. All survived. Please tell my mother._

“Frigga, they’re okay,” she said, rushing over to show her the bracelet. 

Loki’s mother read the message and then smiled at Darcy with tears in her eyes. “Thank the gods.” She returned to her usual capable self immediately. “We must ready the healers and have hot baths prepared. They will need them after Jötunheim.”

Darcy went with her as she rounded up several maids and began giving orders. Not long after that, the Warriors Three and Sif limped back into the palace, Volstagg and Hogun supporting Fandral between them. Darcy winced sympathetically at them as the healers came forward to dress their wounds. She expected Loki and Thor to be right behind them with Odin, but they weren’t. Frigga seemed surprised by this as well.

“Sif,” she asked the girl warrior as one of the junior healers bustled forward to clean and bind a deep scratch on her arm, “where are my sons?”

"The Allfather is still speaking with them in the observatory,” Sif replied, not meeting Frigga’s eyes.

Darcy got the immediate impression that he wasn’t so much speaking with them as he was ripping them both a new one. She exchanged a glance with Frigga that told her their mother was thinking the exact same thing. 

“Loki didn’t want them to go, Frigga,” Darcy whispered, turning to look out at the observatory in concern. “He tried to talk Thor out of it. I was there.”

“He will not bear the brunt of Odin’s anger,” Frigga assured her in a quiet voice. “Thor is eldest, and my husband is no fool. He will know Loki had no choice but to accompany his brother just as his friends did. There is a code of loyalty and honor between them. Odin knows that. If anyone is to be punished, it will be Thor.”

She turned to look out at the observatory as well, and Darcy could see lines of strain around her eyes as she waited to see her sons returning from the bifrost bridge. The healers finished with their triage, and were moving off down the hall with Fandral and Volstagg who seemed to have the worst injuries. Sif and Hogun stood there for a moment, and then left as well. Darcy assumed they were heading to their own rooms, but she didn’t ask.

Moments later, there was a series of strange flashes from the observatory. Then it appeared that the the bifrost engaged again. Frigga grew more agitated the longer it went on. By the time it had powered down again, she was staring out towards the end of the bridge in consternation.

Darcy watched with her as two figures emerged from the entrance. She kept waiting for a third, but no one else came out. They were too far away for her to make out which brother wasn’t with Odin, and the only reason she knew for sure that one of them _was_ Odin was because he was riding Sleipnir. The eight-legged monster was a whole head taller than the other two horses. 

“Thor is not with them?” Frigga said under her breath. “What has he done?”

Darcy wasn’t sure if she meant Thor or her husband. The two men were steadily growing closer. Loki seemed to be leading Thor’s riderless horse alongside his own. When they arrived at the palace, both men stopped out front and dismounted, tossing the reins to the waiting servants. 

Frigga immediately swept down the steps. “Where is Thor? Why has he not come with you?”

Darcy started to walk down to join Loki, but then saw the shell-shocked look on his face and hesitated. 

“Father?” he said uncertainly. “Shall I stay?”

Odin’s shoulders slumped. “No, Loki. Go to the healers. Your mother will wish to speak with me alone.”

“Are you injured?” Frigga reached for him in concern.

“No, mother,” he replied gently. “I am fine. If you’ll excuse me, I think I will go to my rooms.” He glanced between his mother and father, swallowing hard, and then strode to the steps.

“Loki, what happened?” Darcy hissed when he was close enough. “Where’s your brother?”

“Come, Darcy,” he said, quickly taking her arm and pulling her away.

They hadn’t gone more than five steps when she heard Frigga shouting at Odin. Loki looked over his shoulder at his parents, and then abruptly teleported Darcy upstairs.

“Whoa.” She was completely unprepared, and stumbled when they arrived in his room. “What was that all about?”

Loki caught her around the waist, steadying her. “My father has banished Thor.”

“What?! Are you serious?”

He nodded. 

“No wonder your mom is furious,” Darcy said. “Is that what all the flashing lights were at the observatory?”

“Yes. My father stripped him of his powers first, and then banished him to Midgard.”

Darcy froze. “I’m sorry. Did you just say your dad dumped Thor on Earth? That’s not okay, Loki.”

“I know. It will be very hard for him,” Loki replied. “In truth, I cannot believe my father took such harsh actions against brother.”

“Um, no.” Darcy pulled away, irritated. “You don’t get it. Earth isn’t some penal colony for bratty space-princes. You can’t just send your kids there to ground them when they threaten war against another realm. Earth is a planet. Full of people. People who do not want to deal with Asgard’s spoiled, entitled demi-god problem. What if Thor hurts someone?”

Loki looked floored. “I had not thought of that. You are right.”

“Nope. Don’t argue with me, because I’m totally…” Darcy said, not waiting to hear his response. “Wait. Did you just agree with me?”

“Yes. I did.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good,” Darcy said lamely.

She stood there, a few feet away from him, and realized Loki appeared to be swaying with fatigue and possibly shock. 

“Hey,” Darcy said, all her remaining anger ebbing away, “are you okay? Because you look like you’re about to fall over. Come here.” She took his hand, dragged him over to the chairs sitting in front of the fireplace, and pushed him into one.

He leaned back and shut his eyes. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, no problem. Here, give me your arm.”

He lifted up the arm that she’d used to pull him over to the chair, and she knelt down in front of him, working the leather straps through the buckles so she could get his vambrace off. When she reached for the other one, he pulled his hand away. For a moment he just held it up in front of his face, flexing his fingers.

“Did you hurt your hand,” she asked, watching him curiously as he turned his wrist so he could study the back.

“No. I…” Loki dropped his hand into his lap with a sigh. “It is nothing. Do not worry yourself.”

Darcy reached for the hand again, and he moved it away. “Yeah. It’s totally nothing, you liar. That’s why you won’t let me touch it.”

“It is not injured,” he said, glancing from his hand to her face. “Something strange happened in Jötunheim, and I do not wish to frighten you.”

“Stranger than finding yourself on an alien planet armed with a donut?” she asked dryly. “Because I’m pretty sure I can handle anything after that.”

His eyes were still full of doubt. “Did you see Volstagg’s arm when he came in?”

“You mean the big, black mark on it? I did. What was that, anyway?”

“One of the Jötunns touched him. They are so cold, that their touch can burn flesh with frostbite.”

Darcy grimaced. “Scary. So, that’s why you didn’t want them to touch me when they caught us.”

“Yes,” Loki said. “I was afraid you would be burned.” He lifted his hand again and stared at it. “One of them touched me as well.”

“You _are_ hurt,” she exclaimed. “Loki, let me see.”

He finally let her take his arm. “That is the thing, Darcy. I was not harmed. Something else occurred. My hand, my arm...they turned blue and exhibited the sigils of a Jötunn. I think I am cursed.”

“Cursed?” Darcy frowned. “You think that Frost Giant cursed you?”

“Not him. He seemed as surprised as me when my flesh mimicked his. I cannot be sure when the curse was cast, but it is the only explanation that makes sense.”

She sat back on her heels. “So, if you are cursed, what do we do?”

“My father may be able to remove it. I will go to him later.” Loki tucked a wavy lock of hair that had tumbled forward behind her ear. “Darcy, I wish to bathe and change.”

“You need some time to yourself,” she surmised. “It’s okay. I’ll go back to my rooms, and you can come get me when you’re done.”

He smiled gratefully at her. “Any other time, I would ask you to join me.”

“Yeah, I know.” She smiled back, and stood up. “Any other time, I would totally join you, but you’ve had a rough day and want to think about stuff. I get that.”

“Would you like me to take you?” he inquired, getting up from the chair.

“No, Mischief, I can walk. See you in a little bit.” Darcy stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. 

“Do not think I have forgotten our bargain,” he called after her as she walked to the door. “I am not missing any pieces.”

She turned around, hand resting on the doorknob, and grinned at him. “I’ll check for myself later. Go take your bath.”

Her last image of Loki, before she stepped out into the hall, was him smirking flirtatiously at her. Normally that would have been enough, but Darcy could see that it was forced. They needed to figure this curse thing out, and the sooner the better.


	26. Cold Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making everyone wait a day for this chapter. It was complicated to write since I was using some of the movie scenes. Because the dialogue from the movie is pretty pivotal to this part of the story, I left most of it just how it was written in the script. There are some small changes, and Darcy is present for it, but other than that, it is largely the same. (especially the conversation between Loki and Odin in the vaults) I hope everyone is cool with that. :)
> 
> ********************************************************

When Loki came to get her a little while later, he still seemed agitated. Instead of going in search of his father, they ended up in one of the larger healing rooms, keeping Fandral and Volstagg company along with Sif and Hogun. Darcy hadn’t been down there ten minutes and she was already getting annoyed. As much as she thought Thor being banished to Earth was a irresponsible, dangerous move on Odin’s part, she also found the blind devotion to him from his friends ridiculous. 

“We should never have let him go,” Volstagg said, as Hogun took a healing rock from the fire, and carefully applied it to the frostbite on the larger man’s arm.

Sif was pacing like a caged tigress. She threw her hands up in exasperation at Volstagg’s words. “There was no stopping him, as usual.”

“At least he’s only banished, not dead.” Fandral shifted uncomfortably while Hogun ground a second healing rock to powder and applied it to his wounds. “Which we all would be had the Allfather not intervened. What I don’t understand, is how Odin knew we were in trouble.”

“Yes,” Volstagg interjected, picking up a small loaf of bread from the table and ripping a large chunk off. “How did he even know?”

Loki had been staring at his arm again, but tuned in immediately after Volstagg’s question. “I told a guard before we left,” he answered, laying a cautioning hand on Darcy’s shoulder to keep her from telling the truth. 

“What?” Volstagg stopped chewing, and set the bread back down on the table. “ _You_ gave us away?”

“ _I_ saved our lives!” he snapped, leaning forward over Darcy who was sitting at his feet. “And Thor’s! We would all be dead had I not thought to alert my father to his foolhardy plan. I had no idea it would lead to my brother being banished!”

Loki sat back in his chair with a huff, and Darcy covered the hand on her shoulder with her own, trying to comfort him. 

Sif refused to let it go. “Loki, you’re the only one who can help Thor now,” she insisted heatedly. “You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!”

“And if I do? What then, Sif?” Loki stood up from the chair in a sharp, angry movement to confront her. “I love my brother more dearly than any of you,” he continued in a furious voice. “But you know what he is. Thor is arrogant, reckless, _dangerous_. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its king? Where was the diplomacy? The forethought? He led us all straight into death. Shall he be allowed to lead Asgard there too?”

Loki stood there for a moment in a passion, and then whirled around and left the room. There was a beat where she could see Thor’s friends considering his words, before Darcy got up to follow him out. 

“You know,” she said before leaving, “I think you’re all forgetting that he saved all your lives, and then had to watch his father banish his brother today. So no matter what the four of you are feeling, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t equal that. He lost his brother. Not just his friend, but his flesh and blood. Maybe try for a little sensitivity next time. And Sif, seriously?” Darcy gave her new friend a disappointed glare. “I thought you at least you would get it. You argued against going louder than anyone else.”

“Darcy,” Sif began, taking a step towards her. 

“Sorry,” Darcy replied, staving her off with a raised hand, “but I don’t have time for this. I need to go find Loki. You four have each other right now, but you all just made it abundantly clear that he’s got no one.”

She turned and left the room, completely incensed. It didn’t take her long to find Loki. He was leaning up against the wall halfway down the corridor, with his head back and his fists clenched at his sides. 

What she wanted to do was tell him Thor’s friends didn’t mean it, but that would have been a lie, and they both knew it. “I’m sorry they were acting like total shits,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist. “I told them…”

“I heard,” he said, cutting across her words. “You do not need to fight my battles for me, Darcy.”

“Okay, I’m going to pretend you didn’t get all macho on me just then, Mischief. Because you know as well as I do that I wasn’t fighting your battles, and I‘m not the one you’re really mad at right now,” she responded.

At first she thought he was going to argue, but then he relaxed against her. “Was Sif’s face as stunned as I imagined it was?” Loki asked.

Darcy smiled at him. “Probably.”

“Hmm,” he said, “I wish I’d seen it.”

“Hogun’s was better,” she told him. “Volstagg seemed sorry, and I have no idea what Fandral was doing because he was behind me. I’m guessing he was staring at my ass and had no idea what I said.”

“That is most likely an accurate assumption,” Loki replied. “You should be aware, though, that if I ever catch him at it, I will blind him.”

“You know, I should really be more annoyed about your jealous streak, but for whatever reason I’m not. In fact, it’s sort of a turn on.” Darcy frowned at herself. 

He chuckled. “Tell me, Darcy, if you caught, say, Lady Ærndís attempting to seduce me…”

“I’d push her out of a window,” she promptly remarked. “Actually, I wouldn’t even feel bad about it.”

“I would say we are well-matched,” Loki said with a smirk. 

“Is this about to lead to your bedroom?” Darcy asked him. “If so, I’m completely fine with that.”

All the teasing left his face, and the tension returned. “I was hoping you would accompany me somewhere first. There is something I need to...determine.”

“This is about your hand, isn’t it?” she surmised.

Loki met her eyes, and she could see the uneasiness reflected there. “Yes. If you would rather not go…”

“No,” she quickly said. “There’s no way I’m letting you deal with the possibility of being cursed on your own. Let’s go.”

He nodded once, and she held on tight as he teleported them into a place that looked almost like a strange, maze-like museum. Corridors branched off in every direction, and odd items were displayed behind hazy, gold energy fields in niches on the walls. 

“Where are we?” Darcy asked, stepping away from him so she could examine what looked like a glowing metal sculpture of a stag that was standing on a pedestal a few feet from them. 

“These are the vaults,” Loki explained. “All of the most valuable, or destructive, treasures of Asgard reside within these halls.”

She looked up at him, realization dawning. “Like the Casket of Ancient Winters? That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”

He looked away for a moment, jaw tense. “Yes.”

“You’re planning on touching it, aren’t you? To see if your hand turns blue again.” Darcy chewed on her lip. “You think that will work?”

“Possibly,” Loki replied.

“Could it hurt you?” she asked.

He didn’t say anything.

“You don’t know, do you? You’re going to go touch this thing, and you have no idea what might happen.” She shook her head in frustration. “Loki, are you sure you don’t just want to go talk to your dad first? He might be able to figure out what’s going on without you doing something where you might get hurt.”

“I need to understand it before I speak with him," he asserted. "What if it was an isolated incident? Perhaps the Jötunn used some sort of magic to confuse me.”

“You said he looked surprised by it,” she pointed out.

“That could have been an attempt at deception,” Loki countered. “Please, Darcy. I will ensure that you are safely concealed out of the range of the casket, but I need to do this.”

Darcy exhaled loudly. “Okay. Where is it?”

“This way,” he said, and led her down a winding hallway that seemed to go deeper into the bowels of the vault with every turn. 

“Wow,” she said after they’d been walking for a while. “You guys are serious about hiding this thing. How did the Jötunns find it in first place?”

“I believe they can sense it. The type of magic it uses has a very specific signature,” he answered. “It would be hard to miss if you knew what to look for.”

They walked through a final, narrow passageway, and down a flight of stairs, and there it was. Darcy wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but the oddly shaped device sitting atop a tall, stone pedestal wasn’t it. It was strangely beautiful, and almost looked like it was made of deep blue, leaded panes of glass with a sturdy metal frame. Swirling light lit it up from within, and it really did seem to contain some sort of winter storm inside. 

“I didn’t think it would be so pretty,” she said to Loki.

He glanced at the casket briefly before answering. “A thing doesn’t have to be ugly to be deadly.”

“I guess not,” she replied. “So, where do you want me?”

Loki looked around the room, and then gestured towards one of four square alcoves lining the walls. “That one. You’ll be behind me, so if anything goes wrong, you should be out of harm’s way.”

Darcy slipped into the shadowy space, then peeked back out at him and gave a thumbs up. “Alright. You can do the thing.”

He started to reach for the casket, and she darted back out.

“Wait, wait. Don’t touch it yet!” She wriggled between him and the artifact while he looked questioningly at her.

“What are you doing?” he asked, brow furrowed.

“This,” Darcy said, and pulled him down by his collar so she could kiss him. He went along with it, but she could practically taste his confusion. “There,” she told him, once she broke away. “I just wanted you to know that whatever happens here, I support you. Okay, you can pick up the box now, I’ll just be over here, not in your way.”

She bounded back to her hiding place, and waved at him. “Go on.”

Loki stared at her for a second longer, expression unreadable, and then turned back to the casket. He reached for it, hands hovering on either side of the device hesitantly before closing his fists around the carved metal handles on the sides. As he lifted it up from the pedestal, it began to glow brighter. 

Darcy leaned forward slightly to get a better view, and watched, speechless, as blue coloration washed up over Loki’s hands and wrists. Moments later, she could see it appearing above the collar of his shirt and spreading up his neck. Raised ridges accompanied the change in skin tone. She covered her mouth to hold back a gasp as they swept over his face. The very last change was a pair of brilliant crimson eyes in place of the sparkling green she was used to seeing. 

He hadn’t gotten any bigger, but Loki definitely resembled a Frost Giant. She was just about to leave the sanctuary of her hiding place and go over to him when a loud voice yelled, “Stop!”

Darcy took a step back into the concealing shadows. She recognized the voice. It was Odin.

Loki froze, holding the casket suspended in the air. His eyes roved over the device and his blue hands in horror.

“Am I cursed?” he finally asked, voice echoing through the chamber.

Odin began to move down the stairway into the room. “No. Put the casket down.”

Loki gingerly set the weapon back on the pedestal and turned to face his father. Darcy’s lungs hitched when she saw the expression on his face. The blue was gradually fading, but he looked completely panicked.

“What am I?” he asked, staring at his father with wide, unnerved eyes.

“You are my son,” Odin said wearily.

“What more than that?” Loki demanded. The tone of his voice made Darcy wince.

His father didn’t answer. For a moment, the pair just stood there, gazing at each other, and then the penny dropped.

“The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jötunheim that day, was it?” Loki looked sick as the truth began to occur to him. 

“No.” Odin passed his hand over his eyes before he continued speaking. “In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring. It was abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son.”

Loki reeled. “ _Laufey's_ son…?”

Darcy could see him struggling to understand it. She wanted so badly to leave the alcove and wrap her arms around him, but was afraid of what Odin might do if he found out she was there. 

“Why?” Loki continued in near revulsion. “You were knee-deep in Jötunn blood. Why would you take me? What could possibly be gained by saving the life of an enemy’s child?”

Odin shrugged. “You were an innocent babe. I could not leave you there to die.”

“No,” Loki disagreed furiously. “You took me for a purpose. What was it?”

When his father didn’t immediately answer, Loki lost patience.

“Tell me!” he screamed, face contorted with anguish.

Odin held his hands out, as if in supplication. “I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, a permanent peace... Through you, Loki. But those plans no longer matter. Not after what Thor has done.”

Loki flinched. “So I am no more than another stolen relic,” he spat out derisively. “locked up here until you might have use of me.”

“Why do you twist my words?” Odin asked in a tired voice.

Darcy’s eyebrows nearly hit her hairline. Twist his words? He’d basically just told Loki he was a political pawn. That his entire existence was based on Odin wanting to have dominion over Jötunheim as well as Asgard. In her opinion, the only thing in that room that was twisted was Odin.

Loki had fallen silent, staring at the floor. When he looked up again, Darcy could see tears in his eyes. 

“You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?” Loki’s throat was working, and she realized it was because he was trying so hard to hold those tears back.

Darcy had a sudden, nearly uncontrollable impulse to knock the Allfather’s teeth down his throat. What the fuck kind of parenting was this? To make it worse, he was still trying to dig himself out. She shook her head as he tried to cover for his earlier words. 

“You are my son,” Odin was saying. “My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth.”

Darcy cringed. Well, that was the worst possible thing to say. Even she knew that.

“Why?” Loki asked, tears finally escaping to track down his cheeks. “Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?”

“Don't…” Odin tried to interrupt, but Loki refused to be quiet.

“It all makes sense now,” he said. “Why you favored Thor all these years…”

Odin tried again. “Listen…”

“No. I finally understand it, Father.” Loki’s voice was getting louder and angrier the longer he spoke. “Because no matter how much you claim to _love_ me, no matter that I may be better suited to rule, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the Throne of Asgard!”

Odin’s skin turned gray, and he seemed to stumble. While she watched, he started to tremble all over. Something was obviously wrong. Darcy wondered if gods could have heart-attacks.

“Listen to me!” Odin called out to Loki.

He ignored his father, moving towards the alcove where Darcy was concealed.

“Loki!” The Allfather had just taken a step in their direction when he staggered backwards and collapsed on the steps. 

Loki stopped instantly, and rushed over to where his father had fallen. Darcy followed and knelt down next to him on the stones.

“What’s wrong with him? Did he pass out?” she asked, trying ineffectively to find a pulse in one of Odin’s wrists.

“No,” Loki replied, looking completely overwhelmed as he cradled his father’s head on his arm. “This is the Odinsleep, but I have never seen it come on like this. We must get help.” He straightened up, staring wildly at the exit for a moment, and then began shouting loudly for the guards.

**********An Hour Later**********

Darcy was sitting in a chair outside Odin’s rooms. It seemed like the best thing to do was give Frigga and Loki some time alone with the ailing Allfather. Once he’d been carried upstairs, she quietly slipped out of the room, giving them some privacy. After an indeterminate amount of time, the door opened and Loki came out, eyes searching the hallway until they found her.

“Has he woken up?” she asked, standing up from her chair.

Loki shook his head. “No. The strain of our discussion...it was...it must have…”

“Nope,” Darcy said firmly. “You don’t get to feel guilty about that. He had a thousand years to tell you the truth. It's completely understandable that you were emotional, finding out like that. So if that’s what caused this…” She waved her hand at the closed door. “...then that’s his fault, not yours.”

“Will you…” His shoulders slumped. “Will you come to my rooms with me?”

“Absolutely.”

He was quiet during the short walk to his door. Darcy kept glancing up at him in worry. Loki was a ghost of his normally vibrant self. When they reached this destination, he pushed the door open, and she followed him inside.

Then he just stood there. It was like he had no idea what to do now that they were inside. As Darcy watched, a tremor coursed through his whole body and then another. It took her a second to realize he was shivering. It took her another second to realize that demi-god or not, Loki was going into shock. 

“Hey, Mischief,” she said gently, taking one of his shaking hands in hers, “I’ve got you. Let’s just…” Her voice trailed off when she felt the icy chill of his skin. “....get you warmed up. Jesus.”

She chafed his hand in hers, pushing his sleeve up so she could work her fingers over his wrist and forearm. Every inch of his skin was frigid and pale, blue veins standing out in stark contrast. He gazed down unseeingly, not moving, not speaking, just taking sharp, pained breaths between his shivers.

“Okay, this is what we’re going to do,” Darcy told him. “I’m going to get you out of your fifty layers of pointless yet sexy leather, and into bed. All you have to do is stand here and let me do it. Got it?”

He glanced at her face, and gave her a short nod of acknowledgement. First she went over to the fireplace and poked around at it until she had a decent blaze going. Then Darcy began working laces and buckles free, removing clothing and armor alike. Finally she had a decent pile of black and green next to her on the floor, and a mostly undressed Loki standing in front of her. 

“Come on,” she said, tugging on his hand. “Let's get you tucked in.”

She led him over to the bed, and then stripped down to her shift, tossing her dress unceremoniously on the wide stone tiles of the floor. Once it that was done, she threw the blankets back and climbed in, sitting against the headboard and patting the space in front of her. 

“Sit,” she commanded, and Loki slid in place in front of her. 

Once he was settled with her legs on either side of him, she flipped the blankets up over both of them, and pulled him back to rest against her chest.

For a few seconds Loki remained awkwardly tense in her arms. Then he let out a shuddering sigh and went slack, letting Darcy support his weight. 

She wrapped her arms around his ribs. “This is better, right? Give me one of your hands.”

He did, and she cupped it in both of hers, rubbing her thumbs over his palm and massaging each finger. Once she’d finished, she took the other one and did the same thing. The cuffs around their wrists bumped together while she was working on the pad of this thumb, and he stopped her.

Loki clasped her hand in both of his and turned it over. “What have I tied you to, Darcy?” he asked, looking morosely at their matching bracelets.

Oh, this was bad. She could see where it was heading already.

“Don’t,” she said. “I’m not tied to anything that I don’t want to be tied to, see?” Darcy brushed her finger over the hidden clasp and the cuff clicked open for a moment before she snapped it shut again. Then she turned her hand so it was palm to palm with his, and threaded their fingers together. “This is me, telling you that nothing happened today that’s going to change how I feel or what I want. And what I want is you.”

She could feel chest stutter with another harsh breath. 

“How? How can you want me? Knowing what I am?” Loki turned so he could see her face, and held their joined hands up briefly before letting them drop back onto the bed.

“Because of who you are. The things that I love about you are exactly the same now as they were two hours ago.” Darcy cupped his face in her free hand. “You are still looking at the girl whose loyalties lie with you. The fact that you're Jötunn doesn't change that. Please don’t push me away.”

Loki’s green eyes were swimming in tears. “I don’t know how to bear this.”

“So let me,” she said simply. “Let me bear it for a little while.”

He blinked and one of the tears broke free to roll down his cheek. 

“Oh, Mischief…” Darcy moved so their foreheads were touching. “...you are totally entitled to fall apart right now. And I am not going anywhere, I promise.”

She could feel him start to shake again, but this time it was with sobs. Darcy just pulled him as close as she could and held him while he went to pieces in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! You might have noticed I made some changes to this chapter. Here's why...  
> Someone messaged me today to very nicely tell me there were some similarities between this scene and one in another really popular Tasertricks story. I haven't read that story in months, so I went back to check it out. I had to agree. Though unintentional, what I'd written was similar enough that I decided to change it out of respect for that author. (Both scenes took place in a bathing pool and that was close enough for me to feel uncomfortable about leaving mine as it was.) I truly hope I didn't offend anyone. I would never, ever intentionally do something like that. Sometimes authors do have the same ideas, and the other author's scene was posted on ao3 first, so I've rewritten mine. :)


	27. Thunder over New Mexico

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor finds out that being banished is less fun than he expected. Jane only has eyes for science. And Tony can't believe he gave up his pizza for this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...was anyone else wondering what happened to Thor after he got banished? Because I was. :D
> 
> ************************************************************************

Tony frowned at the unreasonably excited astrophysicist leaning over his shoulder who was tapping the wide monitor in front of him.

“See? Right there,” she was saying, tracing a pool of light with her finger in a circular motion. “I told you. These anomalies keep cropping up. I’ve been tracking them for months.”

“Yeeeeah,” He replied doubtfully, squinting at the screen. “I don’t know. Could be a satellite, or possibly space junk.”

Jane huffed in frustration. “No. It’s not. Look!” She grabbed a notebook off the table and flipped open to a complicated chart, thrusting it in front of Tony’s irked face. “The last seventeen occurrences have been predictable to the minute. Not only that, but they have the same energy signature that my Einstein-Rosen bridge gave off the time it sent Darcy to another planet.”

“Which reminds me,” Tony said, taking notebook, closing it, and handing it back to her. “Has anyone heard from the Intern Formerly Known as Missing lately? Or has she simply gone back to being missing? Also, could you pass a slice of pizza?”

Some of the light went out of Jane’s eyes. “No. No one has heard anything since she left with that guy. I still can’t believe you had pizza flown in from Malibu.”

“ _I_ can’t believe you won’t try it,” he responded. “I moved Franconi’s all the way to California from New York because it’s the best pizza in continental United States. The least you could do is take a bite.”

“You moved a pizza parlor over two thousand miles just to have it near your beach house? Do you realize how entitled you sound right now?” She asked. “It’s actually pretty gross.”

Tony shrugged. “Fine. Don’t eat any. More for me.” He grabbed a large slice from the box and folded it in half before taking a bite and making exaggerated sounds of delight in an attempt to piss her off. “You are missing out, Dr. Foster.”

She rolled her eyes, looked at the pizza again, and then picked up a slice. “Fine. I’ll try the.. Oh my God. This _is_ good!”

“See?” Tony crowed. “Oh ye of little faith. Um...is that supposed to be doing that?” He flicked a finger against the screen in concern, and Jane dropped her pizza.

“No. Yes. Ohmigod! We need to get out there.” She began frantically grabbing equipment and stuffing it into a large canvas bag. “Well? Don’t just sit there.”

He gave her a look of disbelief. “I’m still eating my pizza.”

“Tony, do you _see_ that? This is so much bigger than pizza! Come on!”

“Really?” Tony made a face. He was so done with dramatic astrophysicists. He calmly tapped his bluetooth. “J.A.R.V.I.S., could you please let Nicky know we need him to saddle up some vehicles. Preferably of the intimidating, mysterious, black SUV variety. I’m thinking window tint, onboard tech, you know, my usual. Also, I’d like one of those earpieces that makes it look like I’m secret service, and a bottle of Glenfarclas 1955.”

Jane, who was still adding things to her bottomless bag, glared at him. “They aren’t going to get you a bottle of scotch.”

“First of all,” he replied, personally offended by the insult to his beloved Glenfarclas, “that’s a ten thousand dollar bottle of scotch, which means you should respect it enough to use its proper name. Second of all, it never hurts to ask.”

She ignored him and concentrated on zipping the bag closed. Ten minutes later they were piling into waiting SUVs. Tony was working on getting the onboard tech configured, and Jane was pulling things back out of the bag, lining them up on the seat across from them. 

“Look at that,” she said, as the monitor flared to life, and a tangled ball of white light coalesced in the center.

“It’s a geomagnetic storm,” Tony said, recognizing the configuration. “A big one. Is that normally what happens?”

“Every occurrence has been preceded by one,” Jane answered. “But this one is just massive. I mean, look at the readout.” She pointed to a streaming line of numbers scrolling across the bottom of the image.

“Maybe there’s a new variable this time,” he replied, already starting to feel bored. 

“Either that or equipment failure.” Jane shuffled the jumble of electronic devices on the seat around, and the screen flickered with static. 

Seconds later, the entire SUV started to shake. Tony glanced out the window and his eyes widened. 

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s equipment failure.” He took Jane’s head in his hands and turned her face so she could see what he was looking at. “So… That’s much freakier than I expected.”

They both stared at the churning mass in the sky above them. 

“We should get out there,” Jane said, making no move to leave the vehicle.

“That sounds like a patently bad idea.” Tony was still focused on the lights in the sky. “Haven’t you learned anything from watching horror movies, Dr. Foster? Checking out a weird phenomenon in the sky is right up there with walking into a dark basement with a slasher on the loose, or going inside the abandoned warehouse to investigate a weird noise.” He promptly popped the door open and got out, then leaned back in. “Well? Are you coming?”

“I thought you said it was a bad idea,” Jane said, scrambling to grab a few pieces of equipment.

“Eh,” he said. “That’s never stopped me before. Besides...” Tony pulled a small metal device from his coat pocket which he unfolded and clipped over his shoulder. “...I’ve got a shoulder mounted rocket. Never leave home without one.”

“That’s just…” Jane shook her head. “I’m not even sure what to call that. Insane possibly?”

“I don’t want to tell you how to do your job, but the thing is doing stuff,” Tony pointed out, gesturing nonchalantly at the heavens where shit was starting to get crazy. “You may want to look.”

The astrophysicist spun around and gasped as lights in the sky suddenly formed what looked like a huge, brilliant tunnel that was currently thundering towards the New Mexico desert. 

“That’s…” she started to say.

“Unnatural?” Tony finished for her helpfully. “No? How about fucking terrifying as shit?”

“Incredible,” Jane said breathlessly.

“Right. I’ve been paired up with a crazy person. Which…” He pursed his lips, thinking it over. “...it isn't that odd, actually. Although usually I’m more horizontal when that happens. Okay, what now, Weird Science? Do we wait here? Get closer?”

“Closer,” she said absently, already starting to move in that direction with her gaze fixated on the sky. “Definitely closer.”

“Yep. I knew you were gonna say that.” Tony flipped a tiny switch on the shoulder rocket, smiling in satisfaction as it whirred to life. “Fair warning, I reserve the right to blow whatever this is up if things get too hairy.”

Jane didn’t seem to hear him. She was already starting to jog towards the anomaly when it abruptly touched down with an ear-blistering roar. Tony reacted instinctively, diving forward, and flattening her to the ground underneath him.

“Get off me,” she snapped, trying to wriggle away.

“Uh, yeah. Don’t think so. Not until that thing stops.” He looked behind him, seeing that the agents who had come along for the ride were either on the ground as well, or hiding behind the vehicles in defensive posture. “Dying wasn’t really on my agenda today. Pizza was, and you’ve already ruined that.”

A few moments later the thunderous booming stopped, and the long, glowing column retracted back into the sky.

Tony pushed off Jane and rolled to his feet, watching the last of the strange, rainbowy lights fade away. “Is anyone else having disco flashbacks?” When no one answered, he shrugged. “Okay, just me then. Hey...” He squinted through the haze of dust covering the spot where it touched down. “...am I losing it, or is there a guy wandering around in there?”

“What?” Jane paused with her hands still braced on the sand. “No… There can’t be.”

“Tell him that,” Tony said, pointing to the guy staggering around with his head tipped back, looking up at the sky.

“Hammer! HAAAAAAAMMER!” 

Jane and Tony looked at each other as the mystery man began to shout.

“Well,’ Tony said with a snort, “he’s either a carpenter, or completely plastered. Possibly both. In fact, probably both.”

They watched as he continued stomping around and yelling.

Tony cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah. It’s both.”

“What do we do?” Jane asked. 

“I don’t think _we_ do anything,” Tony replied, eyeing the agents beginning to move up behind them. “Pretty sure the cavalry here is going to handle it.”

“Where did he come from?” She got to her feet and stood next to Tony as the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents swept by them, weapons drawn. 

“I’m no expert,” he answered, “but if I had to guess, I’d say he rode in on that psychedelic sky elevator.”

Jane made an incredulous face at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Hey, I call it like I see it. Five minutes ago he wasn’t there. Giant space anomaly happens, and suddenly he is. You do the math, Weird Science.”

“People don’t just fall from the sky,” she scoffed.

“Maybe he’s not people,” Tony retorted. “Didn’t that guy with Dani claim to be from space?”

“Her name is Darcy,” Jane corrected, “and yes. He did.”

“So who’s to say this guy isn’t an alien too?” he asked, wondering what the chances were that he’d get to use his rocket.

Jane turned back to the guy who was still wandering around looking stunned. “Because that would be totally improbable. He was probably just out there already and we didn’t see him. The phenomena occurred, knocked him down, and now he’s a little confused.”

“You know, for a scientist who specializes in impossible things, you have a really closed mind,” Tony said to her.

“The Einstein-Rosen bridge isn’t impossible. It worked.” Jane looked at the scene in front of them as the agents closed in on the increasingly agitated looking man. Coulson was leading the charge with some sort of strange looking rifle. “Are they going to shoot him?”

“I think that all depends,” he said. “Agent Coulson there is toting a tranquilizer gun. My guess is that if he seems dangerous they’ll use that first.”

“How do you know it’s a tranquilizer gun?” Jane asked.

“I manufacture it.”

“Oh.”

“I feel like we’re missing the whole show here,” Tony said, becoming increasingly curious about what was going on. “I don’t know about you, but I want a better seat.”

He started walking over to where the agents had the guy surrounded. After a moment of hesitation, Jane followed. It took them about a minute to get close enough to hear what was going on. 

“Father! Heimdall! I know you can hear me!” the strange man was bellowing up at the sky. “Open the bridge!”

“Bridge?” Jane said. “You don’t think…”

“I wouldn’t rule it out.” Tony considered the guy still groggily threatening an unseen atmospheric foe. “Goddamn he’s brawny. You know, when you see aliens on TV they are never this blonde.”

“You!” the man yelled, spotting Tony. “What world is this?”

“Looks like Tarzan is ready to meet the natives,” Tony said to Jane under his breath. Then he returned his attention to the blonde giant in front of him. “Me Tony, this Jane. And this…” He moved both hands downward to indicate the rock they were standing on. “...is New Mexico.”

“New Mexico?” The visitor looked completely perplexed. “Is that Álfheim? Nornheim?”

“Uh, no,” Tony replied dryly. “It’s Earth. You know, blue planet, lots of great vacation spots? Turks and Caicos is particularly nice this time of year.”

“Earth?” he took a step back in shock. “My father has banished me to Midgard?”

“Am I supposed to answer that?” Tony asked. “I really feel like that’s more of a rhetorical question. Yes. You are on Earth. Whether or not you were banished here is something only you’d know.”

“I do not care for your tone,” the man replied, taking a step closer to Tony. 

All the agents cocked their weapons. Tony engaged his shoulder rocket.

“Yeah, you might want to power down there, Tarzan,” he said. “You’ve got a pretty decent arsenal aimed at you right now.”

The man looked around at Tony and the group of agents, and started to laugh. “You dare threaten Thor with your puny, Midgardian…”

He was immediately cut off by Coulson firing a tranquilizer dart into his leg. The large man stared at the dart sticking of his thigh in amusement. 

“That was unwise,” he said. “Now I shall teach you what it means to attack the Son of Od…”

That was all the further he got before he flopped face-first into the ground with a loud whump.

“Nice work, Coulson. That totally just proved out the bigger they are the harder they fall, idiom,” Tony mused, impressed.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark,” Agent Coulson replied. “Alright, let’s move him out.”

The rest of the agents scurried into action, backing up one of the SUVs to where Thor was lying, and zip-tying his wrists together before hoisting him inside. The minute the scene was clear, Jane went to work, taking samples and light measurements. 

“This is amazing,” she said, enthralled in a way that Tony found sort of creepy, snapping pictures of the large circular pattern of runes on the ground. “Hey! Could you move back? You’re destroying my evidence.” She waved furiously at two of the agents who unwittingly had stepped on the raised lines in the sand. 

Tony glanced from the weird marks on the ground to the unconscious guy in the SUV and shook his head. “I can’t believe I gave up my pizza to traipse around the desert with you, and tranquilize shitfaced aliens.”

“Could you stop whining and give me a hand?” Jane asked, slapping a camera in his hand.

Yeah. Fury so owed him scotch for this. All ten thousand dollar's worth.


	28. King of Asgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki almost says a thing. (but sometimes actions speak louder than words) Frigga tries to explain the past, and Darcy watches something major happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Sorry this update was so long in coming. I'm hosting out of town guests until next Tuesday, so finding time to write is almost impossible. I'm not sure if the next chapter will be posted before they leave, but I'll do my best. :) In happier news, we are getting really close to some super-fun blue sexytimes. Woo!
> 
> ********************************************************************

Darcy was startled out of sleep by the sound of breaking glass. The room was still shrouded in shadows, and it took her a few seconds to shake the feeling of disorientation. Then the events of the prior day hit her like a ton of bricks. She saw Loki was no longer in the bed, put it together with the scary crunchy-smashy sound that had woken her up, and was on her feet before she even realized she’d made the decision to get up. 

She found him standing on the other side of the room in front of an ornately framed mirror. His fist was pressed against the glass where he’d slammed it, and blood streaked down the reflective surface, cutting through the image of his face. Light traces of blue were still fading from his skin.

Mutely, Darcy moved closer. She was just about to touch his shoulder when he flung his arm out, stopping her in her tracks.

“The floor, Darcy,” he said.

Looking down, she saw all the bloody glass shards littering the spot she was about to step into. “If you wanted a new mirror, you probably just could have asked,” she told him, carefully moving to a spot that wasn’t covered in sharp objects.

“It would not matter,” he replied dully. “They will all reflect the same aberration.”

She glanced at her own reflection in the mirror. “Is my bed-head really that bad?”

“Darcy this is not a joke,” Loki snapped.

“No,” she replied, immediately sobering. “It’s not. Because for some reason this incredibly beautiful and amazing guy standing in front of me just called himself an aberration. That's definitely not a joke. What it is, is total bullshit.”

Drops of blood trailed slowly down his arm. “You are wrong. I am a monster, born of a race of monsters,” he said.

“That’s not true,” Darcy firmly stated. “You’ve been led to believe Jötunns are monsters, and that’s not the same thing. It’s called dehumanizing an enemy. Basic warfare strategy.” 

“How can you say that when you know they once tried to subjugate Midgard,” Loki argued. 

“Do you have any idea how many wars there were on Earth where entire countries changed hands? Hundreds," she said. "Not to mention Odin totally subjugated bunches of realms when he found it necessary, and the Æsir let us worship them as gods. Tell me that he looks at humans as being on the same level as Æsir. There’s a reason you’ve hidden me from him the past couple of months. Remember?”

“Are you forgetting how Laufey would have killed you?” he asked incredulously.

She shook her head. “No. I’m not. He’s ruthless, but he’s also a king who has had his best way to defend his people stolen. Laufey was doing what he had to do to get the casket and his self-respect back. And… Listen, I’m not a parent, but if my child was lost in battle, I’d be bitter against the people who made that happen for a very long time. Probably forever. It’s no wonder he had little compunction about using me to get what he wanted. He sees you as the son of the man who crippled his kingdom and cost him his heir.”

“I was not lost in battle,” Loki said bitingly. “I was abandoned.”

“I’m not sure I buy that,” Darcy replied

Loki met her eyes in the mirror. “What do you mean?”

“Let's fix up this mess, and I’ll tell you,” she offered. “Standing around in a puddle of broken glass while you bleed on the floor tiles won’t make anything better.”

He flicked the fingers of his non-injured hand irritably, and the wreckage disappeared. 

“You gonna do your hand too? Or am I getting that,” she asked.

Still frowning to the point of almost glaring at her, Loki held his hand out so she could inspect it. “Are you happy now?”

“Really?” She quirked an eyebrow at him. “You're really going to go the super-petulant, bitchy space-prince route with me right now? That’s lame, Loki, and you know it.” Darcy half-turned and gestured at his bed. “I could always go back to my own boat.”

She could see the need to lash out warring with him knowing she was right. 

“It is a longship,” he said finally, the fight draining out of him.

“Yeah it is,” she said, gently examining his wounds. “I knew you wouldn’t let that go.”

There were cuts all along his knuckles, and several small pieces of embedded glass glinting in the low light of the room. 

“It is not as bad as it looks,” Loki said, flexing his fingers and wincing.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “If you really don’t want to heal this on your own, I’m going to need tweezers to get the glass out.”

He seemed to debate for a moment, and then she watched as the glass disappeared and the wounds healed. There was a soft crackling sound behind him, and Darcy looked up to see he’d fixed the mirror as well.

“Will that be sufficient for you to tell me why you think I was not abandoned, or do you have any further requests for me first?”

"No. I'm good," she said, ignoring his sardonic tone. “Anyway, it has to do with something your father said about where he found you. I’m not an expert on Jötunn culture, but generally temples and other houses of worship are considered places of sanctuary. What if you weren’t abandoned there? It’s totally possible that you were taken there for your own safety, or as a last ditch effort to keep you alive and away from the battle.”

“If that’s the case, then why leave me on my own?” he asked dismissively. “It makes no sense. You do not leave the heir to a realm unattended in a temple during war.”

“What if you weren’t unattended? Suppose the people who were protecting you were killed or injured trying to keep the Asgardian forces from getting to you. You can’t tell me that’s not possible. What I’m wondering is why Odin didn’t tell Laufey that he’d found you.”

“Perhaps because he knew I was unwanted. There was nothing to be gained in tell him. I had no value to the Jötunn King.”

“No… I don’t think that’s it at all.” Darcy hesitated, trying think of how to put what she wanted to say. “Remember what you said to your father about reasons for taking you? I think you were right in your assumptions. Whether or not he grew to love you and think of you as his own son, I think his initial reason for bringing you back was to raise you as an Asgardian. And one day, probably when Laufey was dying, Odin would let you know who and what you are. That way he would have a king on the throne of Jötunheim with sympathies for Asgard. It would go a step further than just ensuring peace, because your loyalties would lie here, and not with the Frost Giants. He really was raising both you and Thor to be kings. You were just meant for a different kingdom.”

“I suspect you are right, and yet knowing that the man I believed to be my father did such a thing…” Loki looked away. “How could they hide this from me? Even my mother. She must have known.”

“Yeah I know.” Darcy felt a wave of frustration towards Frigga. She was a shocked that Loki’s mother would keep a secret like that from him for so long. Could Odin have forced her to stay silent? “I don’t know why she didn’t say anything, Loki. Right now I’m trying really hard not to judge your parents too harshly without understanding all of it. It’s not easy. You’re the one who thinks things through. I’m kind of impulsive, and it’s easy for me to just want to be angry on your behalf because you’re hurt.”

She shivered. It had been hours since the fire had gone out, and the stone floor was cold under her feet. Loki must have caught the motion, because he turned to her in concern.

“You should go back to bed,” he said, glancing at Darcy standing there in her thin shift. "It was thoughtless of me to wake you."

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

He shrugged. “My mother will be watching over my father. I will go join her.”

“Oh.” Darcy tried to hide her disappointment that he didn’t seem to need her. “Okay. I should probably go to my rooms though. You want to put the glamour back on?” She lifted her face up, and he cupped it gently in his fingertips, but there was no resultant wave of magic. Darcy looked at him questioningly. “What?”

“Would you rather come with me?” he inquired. 

She sighed in relief. “Totally. Is that alright?”

This time, she felt the magic spilling over her, covering her not only in a glamour but in a gown and shoes too. Darcy smoothed the green fabric down with a smile, and looked up to see he’d conjured clean clothes for himself as well.

“So I guess that’s a yes then,” she said, sliding her hand into his.

He used their joined hands to draw her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Do you have any idea what it means to me that you offer me my solitude even when I know you would rather I was with you?”

“I’m just trying to be unselfish,” she replied, snuggling into his chest. “You need to deal with things in whatever way works for you. Plus, it’s a family thing. I know what that’s like.”

“You do, don’t you?” Loki said. “I sometimes forget that you have had your own losses and hardships. You so very rarely show the hurt it must have caused you.”

Darcy pulled back just enough so she could see his face. “That’s because I’ve had more time to come to terms with things. What you’re going through is fresh. Sometimes you are going to need your space, and I’m going to be cool with that, because I can remember needing mine after my parents died.” 

There was a pause where Loki just gazed at her with an unreadable expression, and then his face softened. “Be very careful, mortal,” he warned. “You are coming desperately close to stealing my heart completely, and the love of a god is not always an easy thing to bear.”

“Demi-god,” she whispered, swallowing hard at the emotion on his face. “And I’ll take my chances.”

He shook his head, amusement and something far deeper in his eyes. “I did say you were brave to the point of idiocy, did I not?”

“More than once,” Darcy replied. “I can’t help it, though. That’s just sort of how I roll.”

“Ah. I see." Loki cocked an eyebrow at her. "Shall I show you how I ‘roll’?”

Without waiting for her answer, he tipped her chin up with his fingers and inclined his head to kiss her. It was almost achingly slow, the pressure at first soft, and then gradually growing firmer, more demanding. Loki licked across the still-closed seam of her lips, and tingly goosebumps broke out all over her skin. Her lips parted, and he sucked the full bottom one into his mouth, nipping at it before letting it go so he could slide his tongue across hers. 

Darcy was lost. The kiss was so intense that she could feel it all the way to her toes. At some point, she’d wound both arms around his neck and slipped her fingers into his hair. Loki had a habit of almost lifting her off her feet when he kissed her. She assumed it was because he was so much taller. Not this time, though. This time, he curved his frame around her so he could meet her on her level. She couldn’t have explained it, but there was something in that action which made her knees go weak.

Or it could have been his tongue. You know, doing things with hers. Probably both.

By the time Loki finally finished, his chest was hitching for air almost as hard as hers was. Darcy couldn't help a small, breathless laugh from escaping, and he grinned down at her.

“I don’t know if I can walk after that,” she told him. “You kind of just wrecked me, Mischief.”

Loki pressed his lips to the top of her head before straightening back up. “I would apologize, but I am not remotely sorry.”

“Neither am I,” Darcy replied, and he chuckled. 

“Ready?” he asked.

She squeezed his hand. “Yep.”

The Einherjar at the door moved back deferentially when they arrived at Odin’s royal suite. Loki led Darcy through several adjoining rooms before they came to his father’s bedroom. Frigga was sitting at his bedside, her hand resting on top of Odin’s. 

“Come,” she said, spotting them in the doorway and holding her free hand out to them. 

Loki crossed swiftly to his mother’s side and kissed her hand. “How is he?”

Frigga shook her head. “The same.”

For a moment, he just stared down at his father, and then Loki went around to the other side of the bed. Darcy leaned down and hugged Frigga.

“I don’t know what I can do to help,” she said to Loki’s mother, “but if you think of anything, just let me know. I’ll even embroider.”

The Queen smiled warmly at her and then inclined her head towards Loki. “You are already helping, Darcy.”

She bit her lip, gazing down at the still, pale man in the bed. “Is the Odinsleep always like this?”

“No. We were unprepared this time,” Frigga replied, and for the first time Darcy could see the deep worry she must be feeling. “He put it off for so long, and I fear that…” Her voice broke and Loki immediately reached across the bed and took her hand. “You are a good son,” she said to him gratefully.

Darcy could see a fleeting shadow of doubt pass over Loki’s face. “Am I?” he asked.

“Oh Loki,” his mother assured him, “of course you are. _My_ son, and I love you very much.”

“Then why did he… Why did you both lie to me?” he questioned.

“I wanted to be honest with you from the beginning. I begged him to allow me to tell you. There should be no secrets in a family,” Frigga spoke earnestly. “Your father felt differently. He believed keeping the truth from you would protect you from feeling different. You are in every way our son, Loki, and we are your family. You must know that.”

Loki didn’t reply, just gazed down at his father with agonized eyes. 

“If there is something you wish to say,” Frigga continued, “you may say it. He can hear us, see us, even now.”

“I never get used to seeing him like this,” he said in an grief-stricken tone. “The most powerful being in the Nine Realms lying helpless until his body is restored.”

“I know, but we mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us. Your brother as well.”

He looked up abruptly. “What hope is there for Thor? I was there. Father stripped him of everything, cast him out. It was a bitter punishment.”

Frigga appeared troubled, and Darcy guessed she was struggling to come to terms with Odin’s decision regarding her eldest son. 

“There is always a purpose to everything your father does. Thor may yet find a way home,” Loki’s mother finally said.

Loki seemed about to answer her when there was the sound of marching outside in the corridor, and a formal honor guard of Einherjar stopped just outside the room. They stepped apart and revealed one of Odin’s closest advisors standing behind them with Gungnir clasped in his hands. He came forward down the short flight of steps, and stopped in front of Loki, kneeling down and reverently presenting him with the Allfather’s spear.

Darcy held her breath as Loki’s forehead furrowed in confusion. He turned to look at his mother with something like panic on his face. 

Frigga nodded encouragingly at him. “Thor is banished. The line of succession falls to you. Until your father awakens, Asgard is yours.”

For a few seconds Darcy thought he was going to refuse. Then he reached for the spear with shaking hands, and tentatively took it. The advisor bowed and backed out of the room. Loki turned back around to face Darcy and his mother.

“My King,” Frigga said, bowing her head respectfully.

Loki stared at her in disbelief. “What do I do now?” he asked.

His mother took Odin’s hand again, and met Loki's eyes with a steady gaze. “You make your father proud.”


	29. Reckless Folly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's about to get all clandestine up in that garden...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!!!! I'm finally back on a normal posting schedule, yay!!!!
> 
> So, about this chapter: It is NSFW. I thought everyone deserved some sexytimes for their patience the past couple weeks.
> 
> Also, I can't remember if I've thanked everyone for reading and reviewing lately, so I'm going to do that right now. Thank you. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. :D You are all awesome.
> 
> ************************************************************************

Some things were seriously more irritating than others. Darcy could have told you that spending the afternoon killing time while in the forced company of Lady Ærndís was absolutely one of them. First off, the other girl clearly had a thing for Loki, and him now being king had only served to exacerbate that condition. And secondly, she was a complete and utter bitch about that and everything else.

“It has been so nice to have you in our company again, Lady Darcy,” Lady Halla said with complete friendly innocence, reaching into a small basket to retrieve her sewing. “I believe your time was much taken up with Prince Loki since you arrived at the palace.”

“Yes,” Ærndís asserted slyly. “There was a time when I thought perhaps he had intentions of courting you. The two of you seemed so very close, but I suppose His Majesty has other, more pressing duties to occupy him now. Ah well. It is probably for the best. Such an association would hardly be proper at this time considering what has befallen his father and brother.”

Yep. She was a total bitch. Darcy somehow resisted the overwhelming desire to push her straight off the bench they were sitting on in the palace gardens, but it was a close thing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Lady Ærndís,” she replied in a saccharine tone. “Not that who I spend my time is anyone’s business but my own.”

The other woman arched an eyebrow at her. “Oh come now, Lady Darcy, there is scarcely a person at court who was unaware of his favor towards you. Or that you somehow seem to have fallen out of that favor now that he has ascended to the throne.”

Darcy had to stifle a laugh. Loki had totally favored her the night before. Three times in fact. It was awesome. He must have thought so too, because he’d been sending her replays of it through her bracelet all day. Anyway, Lady Bitchyface seemed to be waiting for an answer.

“Like I said, whether or not I’m in someone’s ‘favor’ is kind of my business,” she told her. 

Ærndís gave a tinkly, insincere little laugh. “Dear me, it sounds as if someone is feeling the sting of rejection. Nevermind.” She patted Darcy’s hand consolingly. “Men of nobility are so very often fickle, and Loki has always been known for his changeability. I have seen Fandral casting his eye at you. Perhaps you might have better luck there.”

“Yeah, I’ll totally consider that,” Darcy muttered. “Lady Halla could you pass me the scissors?”

Halla gave her a slightly puzzled glance, as Darcy had no obvious reason for the scissors, but politely handed them over. 

She held them in one hand, opening and closing them with a loud snick. Then Darcy looked at Ærndís’ hand which was still on top of hers and said, “God, these are sharp. I mean, you could totally slice your fingers off if you weren’t careful.”

Ærndís abruptly snatched her hand back. “I was only being kind,” she said in a wounded tone.

“Oh I know,” Darcy replied. “And I was only being helpful. Embroidery can be dangerous.” She turned the scissors around and gave them back to Lady Halla handle-first. “Thanks Lady Halla, but I don’t think I need these after all. I’m going to go for a walk.”

Standing up and smoothing out her skirts, Darcy marched off across the garden, leaving poor Lady Halla alone with catty Ærndís. Without Loki’s convenient teleportation trick, it took her longer than she’d expected to reach his secret spot inside the stone folly. The walk gave her plenty of time to think over the events of the past week.

Loki being king had been interesting to say the least. Things were probably going to get a whole lot more interesting too, because Sif and the Warriors Three, who had dispersed to their homes to recover after the less than stellar encounter in Jötunheim, were due to return any day now. Without them, it had been pretty quiet around the palace. 

Darcy had a feeling that quiet was totally going to be interrupted the moment they got back. Not that she completely minded. Although she’d been spending her nights with Loki, they barely saw each other during the day, and it was kind of lonely for her. There was only so much polite small talk she could make with other ladies. Frigga spent nearly all her time sitting with Odin. So Darcy didn’t even have her there to break up the monotony.

As for Loki, he had all the never-ending duties and issues that came with ruling a kingdom. There was still the threat of war with Jötunheim to be dealt with as well. Complicating matters was Loki’s knowledge that Laufey was his father. Darcy had been trying really hard to help him work through that. Not that a week was a whole lot of time to come to terms with the news that you had been lied to about who you were for the past thousand years. She sighed. He was struggling so hard with all of it. All Darcy could really do was keep assuring him that there was nothing wrong with being Jötunn. And that was a hard thing to convince him of, considering how he had been brought up to hate and fear them.

She was trying, though. It broke her heart to watch him nearly be swallowed up in the self-loathing. Darcy would often wake up to find him sitting at his desk, poring over books about Frost Giants in the middle of the night. When Loki’s insomnia wasn’t taking the form of research, it usually turned to sex. Not that she minded, but it worried Darcy because he seemed to be completely focused on losing himself in her during those times. 

He was scared. It was that simple. She could feel the anxiety running through him like an electric current the whole time he was inside her. It wasn’t until afterwards that Loki truly seemed to relax. He would cradle her on his chest, and then fall into a sleep that would last the rest of the night. Darcy just wished she could think of more to do that would help. She had this tiny plan formulating, but didn't know if he’d even be open to it. 

It couldn’t hurt to tell him, though. Maybe if was having another bout of insomnia tonight she'd try to talk to him about it. By this time, she’d reached the folly. Loki had promised to meet her there if he could get away. He claimed it was for lunch. Darcy had a feeling lunch meant nooner. She blinked in the shadowy gloom as she walked inside, waiting for her eyes to adjust.

“Looking for someone, mortal?” his voice drawled from the darkest corner.

“Yep,” Darcy replied, lips turning up in a smile. “The King of Asgard. He asked me to meet him here. Have you seen him?”

“Well, well, a clandestine assignation with royalty," Loki said, stepping away from the wall. "How very naughty.”

Darcy realized she’d been totally right about assuming this was a nooner. She waited until his tall frame was in front of her, and ran her fingers over the half-circle of gold in the armor covering his chest. “That’s me. Naughty mortal, at your service.”

“Mmmm, at my service, are you?” he asked, leaning down so she could feel his breath on her lips. “That sounds positively delicious.”

“ _You’re_ positively delicious,” she said. “I missed you, Mischief.”

“I missed you as well, lovely girl.” He kissed her, dissolved her glamour, and sent her underwear into another dimension at the same time. 

“Goddamn you have skills,” Darcy said, enjoying the freedom from her magical mask.

He chuckled. “You should be suitably impressed with what I’m going to do next, then.” Loki took hold of her gown in both hands and began to slowly pull it up. The fabric slipped enticingly over the bare skin of her legs as it moved higher. 

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” She gasped as he cupped her thighs, raising her up so she could wrap them around his waist. Not just a nooner, but an up against he wall nooner. Her favorite kind. Except… “I um...I don’t want to kill the moment here, because this is very, very hot, but do you think there are spiders on the walls? Because I’m a little freaked out by the idea of using a spidery wall for this.”

“Why would we need a common, pedestrian wall?” Loki asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

You're going to hold me up?" Darcy asked skeptically. "The entire time?"

He smirked, and then easily lifted her several times in succession, grinding himself against her each time. “Yes.”

"Jesus."

"I highly doubt he would approve of this," Loki commented dryly. "You may find it more productive to address the God of Mischief instead."

"Pretty sure I'm going to do more than just address him, but just in case, how would a girl go about getting his attention?" Darcy teased.

His lips ghosted over hers. "Hmm, unless I am much mistaken, you already _have_ his full attention."

"Do I? Let me check." She worked the fastenings on his pants open with one hand, and he groaned when her fingers closed around him. “Oh yeah, I totally do," Darcy said smugly, stroking him firmly. "So, God of Mischief, what do you want to do now?" 

He answered by lifting her high enough to align them, and fully sheathed himself inside her with one thrust. Darcy moaned and pressed her forehead against his as Loki set a steady pace that had her gasping his name against his lips. He held her effortlessly as they moved together.

"Can you do the thing?" she begged.

Loki nipped her bottom lip and then ran his tongue over it. "Which thing? This one?"

Darcy rocked back in his arms, letting him support her completely as he sent waves of magic tingles through her body. " _Goddamn._ Yeah, that's the thing. More."

He complied, making her arch back further. Taking advantage of her new position, Loki leaned forward, lips traveling over the exposed skin of her neck and clavicle above the collar of her dress. Each spot they touched the magic followed. It was all too much. The first tremors of her release started, and she pulled his lips back up to hers as she came with a rush that blinded and deafened her to anything but the two of them, and the way he felt inside her. 

Loki’s strokes became more erratic, unable to fight the pull of her body tightening around him. He finally gripped her forcefully against him and dropped to his knees, mouth pressed to her shoulder to muffle his groans as he throbbed within her. 

“I think we totally just won gold for best sex in a garden structure,” she told him once she’d caught her breath.

His laughter came out in a short huff, and he kissed her shoulder. "Darcy Lewis, you are a charmingly distracting creature." 

"That's what it said under my yearbook picture," she quipped, attempting to disentangle herself from him.

He tightened his hold on her, keeping her in place. "Stay. I am not ready to relinquish you yet."

"Like I'm going to say no to afterglow cuddling," she said, snuggling into his chest. 

Darcy was just pressing her lips to the sensitive spot behind his ear when something glinting behind them in the murky darkness caught her eye. It looked like a solid gold box with a handle. For second she puzzled over it, and then realized it the box was Loki's version of a picnic basket. He'd brought her lunch after all. She was hit with an overwhelming feeling of tenderness for him. Even with everything Loki had going on right now, he’d done this for her. 

“It is nothing compared to what you have done for me these past few days,” he said quietly. 

“At some point I’m going to remember that randomly touching this damn cuff while I'm thinking means you get to read my mind,” she sighed, moving her traitorous hands further apart from where they were wrapped around his back. "Honestly, I've got to get that in check before you know all my secrets."

Loki smiled, stroking a fingertip over her cheek. “I would prefer that you didn’t. Especially when your thoughts convey such affection towards me.”

There was a moment happening here. Darcy was sure of it. There was something she wanted to say to him, and she could either keep her mouth shut or take her chances and say it, and she'd never been any good at keeping her mouth shut.

“Um, you know how you just said that thing about my thoughts? Well, there's this thing I’ve been wanting to tell you. And I haven't because I don't want you to feel pressured or anything, but…” Her mouth suddenly went dry with nerves, and she swallowed reflexively before continuing. “Anyway, here’s the thing. This might sound weird because of everything that's happened, but the past couple months with you have been some of the best ones of my entire life. And at some point between you saving my life, and where we are right now, I fell hard for you, Loki. I couldn't help it. It just happened. And seeing as how I'm really likely to just accidentally out myself with the bracelets, I thought I would just say it. Think of it as a preemptive strike or whatever. You're making that face like I need to stop rambling. Right. So here's the thing..." She swallowed again. "I love you.”

“Darcy,” he said in a half-choked voice, pulling back so his stunned eyes could scan her face.

She started to panic. He hadn't said it back. Okay, so maybe they weren't having a moment then. How utterly mortifying. Maybe the roof would cave in on her or something and put her out of her misery. It didn't though. That stuff never happens when you want it to. Great. She'd just have to attempt to fix it instead.

"You're freaking out, aren't you?" Darcy stammered nervously. "It's okay. I get it. You don't have to say anything. I'll just go now, and you can get back to doing important king-related things at the palace." She tried again to move off of him, but he held her fast.

"Darcy," Loki said. "Will you please stop fighting to get away, and look at me?"

He waited until she met his gaze, and then used his cuff to convey every single feeling he had for her. Love, affection, desire, need, protectiveness, all of it, washed through her in a fierce storm of emotion that left her breathless. It was so, _so_ much better than words. 

"Is that enough of a declaration for you?" he asked gently.

“Yeah, totally. That kind of exceeded my expectations for what your reaction was going to be, actually." Darcy licked her lips, and then grinned at him. “You know, I think we did this backwards. I should have told you before we got it on, because now I feel like we _should_ be getting it on.”

“I fail to see the difficulty here," Loki said. “Unless you do not wish to make love again?” His nimble fingers traveled over her body, mapping out her curves.

“Are you serious? I mean, that’s not even a question, right?” Darcy asked, rolling her hips, more appreciative than ever of his ability to get hard again immediately. “More to the point, how fast can you magic our clothes off?”

He smirked at her, sending their clothes into whatever inter-dimensional closet he usually used. Then he stood up, carrying her towards the archway that led to the walled in courtyard behind the folly. “Come mortal, I would see you clearly this time when you cry out my name.”

*******************************************************************************

Lady Ærndís forced back the bitter bile rising up in her throat as she watched the pair coupling beside the shelter of the crumbling folly. She knew that Darcy had been hiding something, which is why she'd followed her, but it was far worse than Ærndís could have imagined. Not only was she lying about who she was, but Loki had been had been helping to hide her, right in plain sight.

How dare this Midgardian child pursue Loki, she thought, looking daggers at the girl. It had been one thing when he was merely the second prince in line for the throne, scorned by most of the other women in court. Ærndís had wanted him then, but was content to bide her time on the off chance that she might catch the eye of his older brother. That had all changed now. Thor was banished in disgrace. Loki was king. And yet here he was, bedding a mortal, whispering words of love to her. The furious Asgardian noblewoman clenched her fists as she watched Loki betraying all of her hopes with a worthless human.

Well, not if she could help it. Ærndís spun around and began picking her way through the underbrush back to the palace, her mind already beginning to swirl with plots and schemes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my new favorite Tasertricks gif ever, and I had to share it with everyone. Plus, seriously, how well does it fit this chapter?
> 
>    
> [Here is the awesome creator of this gif](http://serpensorrtia.tumblr.com/post/28907342645/i-received-several-requests-to-post-this-by)


	30. Frenemies of the Crown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga dispenses advice. Loki loses his patience. Thor's friends find out exactly who is in charge...and they don't like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm hoping to keep my schedule of updating every day or every other day, but with everything sort of coming together here, it's really important to me to work out all the plot and make sure the chapters are the way I want them before posting. So, if it takes a couple days for an update, that's why. (As always, weekends are my family time, so you probably won't see the next update until Monday.)
> 
> In other news, everyone read the Halloween vampire Tasertricks story that mischiefgoddesscomplex wrote, right? If not, for the love of awesomeness, go read it. It's a smuttalicious, be-fanged delight. [One Finger on the Pulse](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2534777)
> 
> *********************************************************************

Frigga was sitting at her husband’s bedside, speaking quietly to him when she heard the sound of the Einherjar stationed in the corridor herald the arrival of the current King of Asgard. Moments later, Loki entered, carefully resting Gungnir against the wall before approaching her and kissing her hand in greeting.

“Mother,” he said respectfully. “How is father?”

She shook her head, eyes downcast. “He remains as he was. I cannot seem to pierce the darkness surrounding him. We must be patient.” Taking a deep breath to ward off the tears, she smiled at her son. “I do him no favors by mourning while he is still with us. How are you, my dear? Are you surviving the tedium of ruling a kingdom?”

Loki smiled back at her, but she could see the strain in it. “I am managing. The current tensions with Jötunheim are difficult to navigate. It has been made all the harder by...” He stopped speaking.

“The knowledge of your true origins?” she finished for him. “Have you come to any decision on whether you will speak to Laufey?”

“No,” he replied, almost sharply. “I have not.”

His pain was obvious. As she had so many times since the truth had been revealed, Frigga regretted going along with Odin’s insistence of hiding Loki’s parentage from him. It had been wrong, and she had known it was wrong. 

She reached for his hand, and squeezed it. “Loki, whether or not you make Laufey aware of who you are, you will always be my son. Never doubt that.”

“I don’t doubt your love for me, Mother,” he said quietly.

“But you believe I should have told you,” Frigga asserted. “You are right. I should have, and I am paying the price now, because I have lost your trust.”

“No,” he said, staring down at Odin. “Not you.”

Seeing such a rift growing between her youngest child and her husband was breaking Frigga’s heart. She had lost one child to banishment, and now she feared she would lose another to bitterness and distrust. 

“You are angry with him, and I do not blame you, but I pray that you can find a way to forgive him for this. I am not the only parent who loves you. You father has great affection for you, Loki. I will never forget when he brought you home. You were ill, and he cared no less tenderly for you, than he would have done for Thor.” Frigga smoothed her skirts over her lap. “You are his son as well.”

“Despite being a Frost Giant you mean?” Loki snapped. He exhaled slowly, and she could see him trying to let go of the anger. “I’m sorry.”

“You have no need to apologize,” she told him. “I can only imagine how painful this has been for you. My only consolation is that I know you have not been facing it alone.”

He glanced at her. “You mean Darcy.”

“I do,” Frigga said. “The girl cares deeply for you.”

Loki’s entire expression softened. “I know.”

“Ah.” His mother sat back with a smile. “So it is like that. Do you return her sentiment?”

“Yes,” he said. “I have for some weeks, but to know that she is aware of what I am and to have her love me in spite of it… It is everything.”

Frigga tilted her head in thought. “Forgive me, Loki, but I would venture to guess that Darcy does not see it that way.”

He frowned at his mother. “What do you mean?”

“She has spoken with me since seeing you in your Jötunn form. There was no indication that she would find it something to love you in spite of, in fact, I would say it is quite the contrary," Frigga said.

“That’s impossible.” Loki turned around and paced to the end of the bed. “It must have been terrifying for her to see me like that.”

She watched him for a moment before replying. “I can only tell you what she expressed to me. It is possible she was lying, but have you ever known her to be insincere?” 

His brows drew together in disbelief. “No, Darcy is honest to a fault, but I cannot accept this. You must have misunderstood her meaning.”

“Perhaps,” Frigga said mildly. “Or perhaps you need to consider that there is nothing wrong with what you are, and that she is able to see that more clearly than you do.”

“If there was nothing wrong with what I am, Father wouldn’t have kept it hidden,” Loki retorted. “No, that side of me will remain buried, where it belongs.”

“It is not a side of you, Loki,” she said sadly. “The man you are has not changed simply because you have learned the truth of your birth.”

“Haven’t I?” he inquired. “I do not feel the same.” Loki shook his head. “ _Nothing_ is the same.”

He fell silent, shoulders slumped and eyes fixed on a distant point outside the window. Frigga regarded him with a heavy heart. Finally he straightened up and addressed her again.

“I must leave you soon. Thor’s friends returned this morning, and I am sure they will want to speak with me regarding his banishment.”

Frigga felt a sharp pain in her chest at the mention of her eldest son. “They are bound to be disappointed then, are they not? I can already see that you have decided to leave things as they are.”

“I love my brother, but to bring him back now would surely mean war with Jötunheim. And were you not the one who counseled me that there is always a purpose to everything the Allfather does? Maybe this will be good for Thor.” Loki sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. “Regardless, I do not believe it would be in the best interest of Asgard to contradict my father’s actions at this time. The last thing we need is to appear inconsistent and soft while he is in the Odinsleep. Our enemies would be upon us like vultures. I need to maintain a sense of stability to prevent that. It is what I believe Father would want.”

“Yes, I think you are right,” she agreed, although it hurt her to say it. “Odin has always put the well-being of the Realm above all else as a true king would. You do well to respect his wishes.” Frigga’s sorrow must have shown her face, because Loki touched her shoulder sympathetically. 

“Would it help if I went to see Thor in Midgard?” he asked. “No one need know. I could ensure that he was safe at least.”

“Oh Loki," Frigga said, "news of him would be most welcome. Thank you."

He smiled at her. “There is no reason to have you worry needlessly, Mother. Not when I can bring you some reassurance on Thor’s behalf.”

She returned the smile gratefully. “I believe your father would be most pleased with how you are ruling in his stead.”

“It has only been a week,” Loki protested. "Hardly any time at all to judge my capabilities as a ruler."

“Just the same, I am proud of you, and I know he would be as well,” she said fondly, and he nodded. 

“I hate to leave you, but I must be getting back. You will see that I am informed immediately if there is any change with him?” Loki asked, gesturing towards his father.

“Of course, my dear," she replied. "You will be the first to know.”

Her son lifted her hand to his lips briefly and then strode out, reclaiming Gungnir as he passed by. Frigga remained next to Odin, quietly contemplating all that had been said.

*****************************************************************************************

Loki was in the middle of deciding a land dispute between two of the lesser nobles when he was given word that Sif and the Warriors Three sought an audience. He had the nobles moved to a nearby antechamber, and signaled for Thor’s friends to be granted entry. 

“What trick is this, Loki?” Volstagg asked, staring at him with a puzzled expression. “Where is the Allfather?”

“Yes. Where is Odin? We would speak with him on an urgent matter,” Fandral said.

They didn't know. He expected word would have reached them, but clearly it had not. Well, this was going to be interesting. 

“My friends, have you not heard?” Loki slowly stood up, brandishing Gungnir, and trying to convey a sense of authority. “My father has fallen into the Odinsleep, and my mother fears this time he may not awaken. I am ruling Asgard in his place.”

Sif started. “ _You_ are ruling Asgard?”

“Yes,” he replied, bristling at her insolence. “I am. Have no fear, though. You may bring your ‘urgent matter’ to me, your King.” He touched his chest, putting a firm emphasis on the last two words.

If they seemed puzzled before, it was nothing to the way they looked now. Insubordinate was one word that came to Loki's mind. Mutinous was another. He stood his ground, locking gazes with each one of them in turn. Volstagg was the first to kneel, followed reluctantly by the rest. 

“Well then, my...King,” Sif said, lips twisting slightly over the words. “We have come to ask that you end Thor’s banishment.”

He compressed his mouth into a thin line. “I am afraid I cannot do that.”

“What?” Hogun took a step forward, only to be halted by Volstagg giving him a severe look of warning. “Why not?”

“My first command can not be to undo the Allfather's last,” Loki explained, making his way down to their level with deliberate steps as he spoke. “We're on the brink of war with Jötunheim. It is my duty to give our people a sense of continuity in order to feel safe in these difficult times.”

Thor friends exchanged an uneasy glance that was not lost on Loki. 

“I understand that this may not be what you hoped to hear, but as you King, I expect your loyalty,” he continued in a more demanding tone. “Surely you can see that all of us must stand together for the good of Asgard.”

Sif abruptly leapt to her feet, jaw clenched in anger, and Fandral caught her arm, stopping her, before smiling ingratiatingly and answering, “Of course. Our loyalty is always to Asgard.”

“Good,” Loki said, forcing himself to ignore Sif’s show of defiance. “Then you will wait for my word?”

They seemed to acquiesce. For a moment, Loki thought all was settled, and then...

“If I may,” Volstagg began, lips twitching with amusement, “beg the indulgence of…” He paused, chuckling slightly as he used Loki’s new title. “...Your _Majesty_ , to perhaps, reconsider?”

That was it. He'd had enough of their disrespect. He was no longer just the younger brother of their friend, he was their King, and he would see them behave like it. 

“We are done!” Loki's eyes flashed with anger as he lost his patience entirely. “I have made my decision. This interview is over. Get out.”

The three men got to their feet next to the still standing Sif. For a moment, Loki thought they intended to challenge him, but then each one turned and began leaving the throne room. Sif stayed longest of all, glaring furiously at him as he stood before her on the lowest step. He was just about to address her impudence when she whipped around and stalked out behind the rest. 

“Well,” Loki sighed sardonically as the large doors closed behind them, “that went well.”

“Your Majesty.” Birger, one of his father’s most trusted advisors hurried out of the side-antechamber where the two arguing nobles had been placed. “Forgive the interruption, but things are becoming a bit heated in here. The nobles are requesting a decision from you. What shall I tell them?”

Loki wearily rubbed his hand over his forehead before responding. “Tell them I shall be in shortly with my decision. Until then, see to it that they are brought food and drink. Perhaps that will appease them until I am ready.”

“Very good, Your Majesty.” Birger bowed, and quickly left the room. 

Loki wanted nothing more than to sit down on the step behind him, and lick his wounds, but he couldn’t afford such a show of weakness in front of the Einherjar who were flanking the throne. Instead, he straightened his shoulders and began ascending the stairway that led up to the imposing golden seat. He was less than halfway there when he heard the doors at the end of the room open again. 

_Hey, Mischief!_

His cuff lit up with warmth, and he began to smile even before he turned around to see Darcy on her way to where he stood. Her presence was like a wave of comfort after the trying conversation with Thor's friends.

“Lady Darcy,” Loki acknowledged, once he was facing her, “to what do I owe this honor?”

She glanced at the Einherjar, made a wobbly curtsy, and then said, “I wanted to invite you to eat...I mean dine...with me later. Um, Your Majesty.”

As the words were leaving her mouth, Loki saw her fingers brush across her bracelet and he looked down to see his now read, _You’d better say yes, because we are totally having a picnic. In my bed. Naked._

His smile widened. “I accept your invitation.”

“Awesome,” Darcy said, face lighting up. “I mean, thank you, Your Majesty.”

Loki inclined his head formally. At the same time, he sent, _There is a new gown in your rooms. Please wear it. I want the pleasure of removing it later._

He watched as her eyes flicked down to her cuff and then back up to his. Her fingers slid over the gold surface and his cuff pulsed with energy. 

_Hey Loki? Remember when I said there was only thing that could entice me to kneel?_ She smirked at him and tapped her bracelet again. _Get ready, God of Mischief, you are getting a hands-on demonstration at the naked picnic._

With that parting shot, Darcy winked, curtsied, and sashayed back out of the throne room, leaving him struggling not to follow.


	31. Frost at the Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's Naked Picnic turns out to be nothing that Loki expected, and everything he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I spent the past five days trying to write this chapter. There are probably seven different versions of it at this point. None of them felt right. It was a nightmare. 
> 
> I'd like to dedicate the chapter that did get posted to the lovely and amazing Greenfairy13. She sent me the most awesome encouragement on tumblr, and without it, I might have walked away from the whole story in a fit of unending writer's block. All my love and thanks to you, GF. This chapter would not exist without your kind words.
> 
> Just a heads up, this is NSFW. :)
> 
> ************************************************************************

It was far later than he had intended when Loki finally managed to settle the land dispute. The final decision had been a compromise for both parties that did not fully satisfy either. He was weary, and ill at ease over the outcome of the meeting with his brother’s friends as well. There was a niggling concern in the back of his mind that the four of them may well take matters into their own hands and attempt to bring Thor back themselves. Loki was still turning their conversation over in his mind when his cuff lit up with a message from Darcy.

_Naked Picnic is ready. I’ll be the girl on the bed. Come and get me, Mischief._

He smiled, and sent back, _Look behind you_ , before teleporting up to her rooms.

When he arrived she was sitting on the bed with her legs folded under her, reading the words on her cuff. With a flick of his fingers, Loki removed the glamour she was wearing. She immediately turned around and spotted him. A brilliant smile spread across her face, blue eyes dancing with happiness. All the fatigue and vexation of the day melted away under the open affection in her gaze. 

“Hey sexy,” she chirped, wiggling her fingers at him in greeting.

He leaned into the entry of her bathing room, just enjoying the sight of her in the green gown he’d conjured with her hair tumbling down in long waves around the sides of her face. “Hello, lovely girl.”

“Did you know the strawberries on Asgard are purple?” Darcy plucked one from a nearby tray and took a bite. “See? Totally purple. I love it.”

“What color are they on Midgard?” Loki asked.

“Red. They’re not this big, either. These are sort of ridiculously huge.” She finished the one she was eating and picked up another one, holding it out to him. “Well? Are you coming over here, or are you just planning on watching me eat by myself?”

Swiftly crossing the room, he joined her on the bed, sliding into the space she made near the headboard for him. He bent his head over her hand, taking a bite of the strawberry she was still holding. She fed him the entire thing, and afterwards he pulled each of her fingers into his mouth in turn, cleaning the remaining juice off of them. 

“Goddamn, Mischief, we’re still dressed and you’re totally wrecking me,” Darcy said, meeting his eyes as he slid his tongue up the underside of her pinky. 

Loki chuckled. “Consider it repayment for your display in the throne room earlier. I very nearly took you in front of the Einherjar.”

“Really?” she said, eyes widening. “That would have been interesting.”

“I doubt the guards would have thought so,” he replied dryly. 

“I don’t know,” Darcy said with an impish expression. “We’re pretty good at it. Maybe they would have picked up some pointers or something.”

He shook his head in amusement. “Shameless woman, what will I do with you?”

“Tie me to the bed?” she offered.

Loki’s mind was filled with images of Darcy moaning in completion beneath him with both wrists shackled to the headboard. It was tempting to say the least. “I will take your suggestion under consideration.”

Darcy flashed him a ready smile. “I love when you look at me like that. It totally sends my panties straight out the window.”

He glanced over at her and flicked his fingers almost imperceptibly, consigning her undergarments to the ether. “Does it?”

Her brow furrowed. “Did you just…? Oh. My. God. LOKI!”

“You said out the window,” he replied, forcing himself to keep a straight face.

“Please tell me that my underwear are not out there decorating one of the garden statues, because so help me, Mischief, I will totally dump this bowl of...what the hell is this?”

Loki leaned over so he could view the contents of the bowl. “Persimmon jelly.”

“Right,” she continued without missing a beat. “I will totally dump this bowl of persimmon jelly on your smartass, trickster head.” 

“I promise you, your underthings are not adorning any of the garden statuary,” he said, wondering how they would have looked draped over the marble rendering of his brother just outside the palace gates. Perhaps next time. He gave a lazy wave of his hand and her clothing appeared on a nearby chair, along with her gown, which he decided was superfluous to them eating.

Her lips twitched. “I take it we’re getting to the naked part of the picnic?”

“Is that an objection?” he asked, running his fingers along the neckline of her shift, and dipping them beneath to skim over the twin swells of her breasts.

“Nope.”

“Well then,” Loki said, “I think I could find a more imaginative use for these strawberries of which you are so fond.”

“You had me at ‘imaginative’,” Darcy replied. 

“Oh, I will have you, Darcy, but first…” He untied the ribbons holding her shift up, and pulled the fabric down to expose her breasts to his gaze. “...I wish to play.”

Loki reached across her body, taking a strawberry from the bowl and studiously encircling her nipple with piece of fruit. Bending his head over her, he languidly tracing the path the fruit had taken with his tongue. “You have the most magnificent breasts in the Nine Realms.”

"Do I?"

"Without question."

He switched to the other side, taking the nipple in his mouth and tugging lightly with his teeth. Her skin pebbled with gooseflesh. Drawing the strawberry up the column of her neck, he held it against her lips, allowing her to take a bite. Then he leaned forward and licked the juice off her mouth. 

“God, this naked picnic idea was the best ever,” Darcy said. 

“Half-naked,” he corrected, glancing at her rumpled shift. “I intend to remedy that shortly.”

“Can I have some more?” she asked, gesturing at the strawberry with her chin. 

He fed her the rest, playfully teasing her with it, and making her chase it with her mouth. Once she’d finished chewing, he got another one from the bowl for them. 

“I know that you probably don’t want to talk shop,” she said, in between bites, “but I was kind of wondering what was going on with the whole Laufey situation.”

Loki sighed. “He is aware of my father being in the Odinsleep. That in itself puts all of Asgard in danger. Couple that with my brother’s actions prior to his banishment, and we are hovering on the brink of war.”

“Can I ask you something?” Darcy propped herself up on her elbows, and tugged her shift up. “I don’t want to make you mad or anything, but have you considered telling him who you are?”

“No,” he replied uncomfortably. “I have not.”

“Oh.” She frowned slightly. “It’s just that...doesn’t he sort of have a right to know? What if he’s been searching for you all this time? Or mourning you?”

He looked away from her innocent, earnest gaze, focusing instead on the coverlet on her bed. “Can a monster mourn?”

“A father can. And that’s what he is, Loki, your father.”

“Then I am a monster as well.”

The bed shifted next to him as she moved to wrap her arms around his waist from behind. Soft lips pressed against the skin just below his ear. 

“No you aren’t,” Darcy said. “I’m not holding a monster. I’m not in love with a monster. Want me to prove it?”

He snorted. “Just how do you propose to prove wrong thousands of years of history?”

“Because it’s not history. It’s prejudice. And it’s a prejudice I don’t have since I was raised on Earth and not Asgard. I saw you the other night, Loki. I was right there when you picked up the casket. Don’t you want to ask me what I thought?” 

He’d turned his head away from her while she was speaking, and she gently turned it back with her hand. 

“Ask me,” Darcy said quietly. Ask me what I saw when you picked up the Casket of Ancient Winters.”

“Darcy, please…”

“You. All I saw was you. And I thought you were beautiful. So don’t tell me that you’re a monster. You have always been a Frost Giant, Loki. You were when you saved me. You were when you went into Jötunheim at the risk of your own life to protect your brother and his friends, and you are right now in my arms. I don’t love an Æsir. I love _you_ , and there is nothing wrong with what you are.”

He relaxed incrementally into her embrace. “I want to believe you.”

“I know one way to show you, but I think you’re going to fight me tooth and nail on it,” she said.

“What is it?” he asked, despite his misgivings on what her answer might be. 

“I want you to spend an hour here, with me…” He could hear her take a deep breath. “... in your Jötunn form.”

Loki immediately stiffened. “No.”

“Please give me a chance with this,” she pleaded. “If it doesn’t help, you can switch back, and I’ll never ask you to do it again.”

“You forget, Darcy. I cannot even touch you without burning your skin. I _am_ monstrous,” he insisted darkly. “Even if I was inclined to change forms, which I am not, you would be at risk the entire time we were together. Do you think anything could induce me to put you in harm’s way?”

“You won’t burn me,” she said confidently. 

“Believe me,” Loki told her. “I have seen it with my own eyes. Volstagg was burned by a Frost Giant right in front of me.”

“On purpose,” Darcy said. “I think they use magic to alter their temperature. If their skin was that cold all the time, how would they eat? Their food would freeze solid. Anyway, aren’t you the least bit curious about that? Switch forms, let’s see if I’m right.”

He wrestled with the turmoil of emotions within. She couldn’t possibly know what she was asking of him. And yet...what had he asked of her? He’d taken her from her home, and her friends. Changed her face, placed her in an unfamiliar world and culture, and she’d agreed to it all without complaint. Darcy was only asking him for one night of discomfiture. 

“You will never ask to see my Jötunn from again if I do this?” Loki searched her face anxiously, needing to see the truth in her words. 

“You have my word.”

“And you have mine. One hour.” 

Unwinding her arms from around his waist, Loki slipped off the bed. He turned around, making sure there was a safe distance between them.

His eyes closed in concentration as he turned inward, searching for the edges of the magic that cloaked his true form. Releasing it was an arduous task. The protective instinct that maintained his Æsir appearance fought against him at every turn. 

Finally it began to recede, and Loki watched as the blue crept over his skin along with the markings that covered his entire body. He could feel the sigils rising on his chin, and knew it was only a matter of time before it encompassed his face. 

Darcy remained silent, eyes on his, waiting for the transformation to be complete. Then she rose up cautiously on the bed, kneeling in front of him, as she carefully studied his face. After a moment she lifted her hand and reached towards his cheek. He automatically flinched away, out of her reach.

“Hold still,” she requested. “I promise I won’t actually touch you, I just want to try something.”

He moved slightly closer, allowing her fingers to hover a few inches from his face. 

“I don’t think you feel cold enough to burn me. See if you can make yourself colder.”

Loki looked down at his hands, consciously attempting to lower the temperature of his skin. Within seconds he could sense a sharper chill emanating from his body, and the next breath Darcy took came out as mist when she exhaled.

“I knew it!” she exclaimed excitedly. “It’s a magic thing. That Frost Giant burned Volstagg on purpose. I don’t think touching you wouldn’t hurt me unless you wanted to, Loki. Change your temperature back to what it was before.”

He released his hold on the magic, and the air around him returned to its previous temperature. Darcy promptly reached for him, and he stepped back out of range. 

“Please Darcy, there is no guarantee that my skin won't burn you even like this. There is no need to put yourself in the position of a sacrificial lamb for me.”

“One finger,” she offered, holding it up in front of his face. “And if I get hurt, you can always heal me. It won’t matter though, because I’m sure about this.”

“No,” Loki said. “Absolutely not.”

“Come on…just let me.” Darcy started to get off the bed. “One, teensy tiny touch…”

“Darcy, stop!” he ordered.

His sharp tone made her jump, causing Darcy to lose her balance at the edge of the bed. She started to tumble forward, and without thinking, he snatched at her arm to keep her from falling. 

They both gasped. 

A smile spread across her face, “You aren’t burning me.”

Loki was still fixated on the sight of his blue fingers clasped around her wrist. “It was not worth the risk.”

“Are you kidding me? Anything that helps you deal with this is completely worth the risk. And for the record, this...” Darcy said, placing a distractingly warm kiss on the back of his hand, “...is not monstrous.”

Loki found himself bewildered by her reaction. “You truly do not find me aberrant?” 

“No. Just dramatic,” Darcy said wryly. “But that’s just sort of how you are all the time.” She got off the bed and stood in front of him, smiling up into his face. “We have a whole picnic left. Will you come to bed with me?”

“I don’t know. I… Darcy, I’m…” he stammered.

She threaded her fingers through his. “Please?”

It was the please that undid him. He nodded his consent, allowing her to lead him back onto the bed. 

Darcy pushed on his chest until he hesitantly laid back against the pillows. Then she straddled his lap, taking each one of his hands, and placing them on her hips. 

“Is this okay?” she asked.

He nodded again.

“Good. I’m going to touch you now. Just tell me if you want to stop.” Her fingertips found his face, lightly tracing over the sigils on his skin. “These are amazing. Did you notice how perfectly symmetrical they are?” Darcy bent over him, pressing her lips to the ones on his forehead, before moving to his cheeks and chin. “This is your face, Loki. It’s gorgeous. I love it. And your eyes…”

Loki winced, unable to control the growing feelings of shame at her close scrutiny his appearance.

“Don’t do that,” Darcy said, taking his face in her hands. “I think your eyes are incredibly striking, and sexy. They convey your emotions just as well like this as they do when they’re green. And really, Loki, that’s all that matters to me. They’re yours, and all I want to do is lose myself in them.” 

She stroked her thumbs over his eyebrows and along the outside corners of his eyes, and then kissed them as well. He couldn’t seem to articulate a reply, but she had already moved on, cradling his hands in hers. 

“These are your hands. Your fingers. They’re elegant, and strong, and I love when you touch me with them.” She brought them up to her mouth and kissed them. The sensation of her heated breath flowing over his skin caused a shudder of pleasure to ripple over his skin.

Darcy looked up in alarm. “Did I hurt you?” 

He shook his head. “No. It...no. I’m not in pain.”

Loki could almost hear the gears turning in her mind as she interpreted his words. 

“So you’re saying it was good, then?” she asked casually.

He looked away. “Yes.”

“And you think that’s a bad thing. You’re ashamed that you like this. Oh, Loki.” Darcy shifted in his lap, trying to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her. 

Without warning, she engulfed his index finger in her mouth, going all the way down to his hand before slowly sliding back up. He sucked in a hissing breath.

“Darcy,” he said in a low voice. “What are you doing?”

“You tell me, God of Mischief, what am I doing?” she asked saucily as she licked a line up his middle finger and then sucked on the tip.

Her actions and the accompanying feelings with them stunned him straight out of using the Alltongue and he swore loudly in Asgardian.

Her head popped up in shock. “Oh my God. Did you just forget to speak English?”

“You surprised me, that is all,” he lied.

“Yeah, right. Is that what we’re calling it now? Surprise?” She rocked her hips, smirking when she felt him growing hard beneath her. 

“Darcy,” he groaned. “Please.”

“Please what?” She licked the sigils on the inside of his wrist.

His eyes slid shut, and his hips lifted up against her.

“That felt good, didn’t it?” Darcy smiled triumphantly. “You liked it. Admit it, Loki.”

Loki shook his head in denial. 

“Whatever liar,” she said. “You know, if my mouth feels this good on your fingers, what do you think it would feel like other places?”

A growl rose up from deep in his chest, vibrating through him with feral intensity. It was shocking. He looked at her in a panic, sure that he’d find fear in her eyes.

“God,” she murmured, eyes going dark. “Growl at me again.”

“Why are you not afraid of me?” he demanded

“Loki, you make snakes appear on the table while I’m eating. You teleport. You’re a demi-god with magical powers for fucksake. Do you seriously think blue skin is going to phase me?” Darcy asked. “And anyway, just because it seems like you need me to spell it out, the skin is fucking hot, the markings are fucking hot, the growling… _god the growling_...the teeth, the eyes, all of it. Fucking. Hot. I want you to touch me with those hands. I want you to kiss me with that mouth. And I want to feel you inside me just the way you are right now. You have no idea how much. So no. I’m not afraid. I’d say I’m more like embarrassingly wet, actually.”

She leaned over him, lips brushing his ear, and said in a sultry whisper, “Wanna feel?”

He found his breath coming short. Lust, desire, need, they all joined the storm of emotions thundering through him. And love. Love for this girl who refused to let him retreat into self-loathing. His Darcy.

Her lips were moving along his jaw, whispering words of endearment against his skin. Loki was drowning in the sensation. When they finally found his mouth, he took her head in his hands, holding her close and reveling in her inviting warmth.

She smiled, and he could feel her lips curling where they met his. “I love you, Mischief. Just let me do this, okay?”

“Darcy are you certain?” he asked.

Nimble fingers began to unfasten the buckles and straps of his clothing. “Completely.”

Each piece of armor came away under her gentle hands. She set them down on the table next to her bed, and returned to help him slip his shirt off over his head. Within minutes he was undressed, fully exposed to her gaze. 

There was nothing of what he expected her reaction to be. No revulsion. No horror. Just Darcy looking at him like he was the only thing that mattered. 

“This right here,” she said, stroking her hand over his chest. “This is about you, Loki. Don’t think. Don’t dwell. Just feel.”

She lowered her head over him, placing open-mouthed kisses down the length of his body. Her lips traveled over his skin, imprinting him with with their heat. It wasn’t long before she was kneeling between his legs, stroking him with a firm, soft touch. 

He swallowed thickly, watching her hand move on his swollen shaft. Her mouth was so close. So very, very close, and then it was there, blazing hot, and wet all around him. She took her time, each swirl of her tongue and stroke of her fingers working together in deliberate, unhurried movements. It was like reverence, like worship, and Loki shuddered and arched with the consuming feel of it.

Darcy never altered her pace, just allowed his arousal to build and build until it was washing over him in drugging waves. He became aware of every small detail in breathtaking contrast. The slow drag of her tongue, the slight scrape of her teeth, and the pressure of her fingers and lips. It was hypnotic and sensual all at once. 

She looked up, holding his gaze with her own. Loki hauled in a ragged breath, the deep tug signalling his release coming without warning. His fingers clutched at the coverlet, scrabbling for purchase as it shook him with its power.

Afterwards he lay there almost stunned, tremors running through his body at the slightest brush of her skin against his. Darcy snuggled in next to him with her head pillowed on his shoulder. Her fingertips traced absently over the sigils on his chest.

Lethargy swept over him like a blanket. He cradled her close, eyes dropping closed despite his attempts to keep them open. 

“Go to sleep, Mischief,” she said, turning her head so she could kiss his collarbone. “I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

The last thing he felt before his eyes drifted shut in slumber was the weight of her small frame, curled around him in a protective embrace.


	32. Frost at the Picnic (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy continues to show Loki how very much she enjoys him being her favorite color. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cats you guys, I pretty much caught death over the weekend. I'm surviving on painkillers and sudafed right now. Bleh. Anyway, here is your chapter. It's all kinds of smuffy and nsfw. The next chapter will be all plotty and stuff. WIth like...Tony. And Laufey. (Not together or anything...dear God...can you even imagine?)
> 
> *************************************************************

Darcy hadn’t realized how tired she must have been, because it was several hours later when her eyes finally opened again. The dying light coming in through her windows was washing everything with brilliant golden haze, and long shadows were creeping across the floor towards the walls. She lifted her head, trying to gauge the time by the height of the sun dropping over the edge of the water. Loki stretched behind her, nuzzling his face into her neck. She sighed, relaxing into the warm clasp of his arms around her.

Then she stroked her fingers over his forearm and immediately paused in confusion as her fingers came in contact with his sigils. Darcy looked down at his arms. They were still blue. Blue, and beautiful, and pressed tightly against her skin. 

“It is a warming spell,” his sleepy voice mumbled into her shoulder. “I did not wish you to freeze in your quest to preserve my self-regard.”

“Oh,” she said, reaching back to comb her fingers through his hair. “Not that I mind, because I absolutely don’t, but why a spell instead of changing back?” When he didn’t answer right away, Darcy rolled over to face him. “Loki?”

It took him a moment to meet her eyes. “I thought perhaps it was what you wanted, and….”

“And?” She raised her eyebrows at him.

“The heat of you,” Loki finally said. “It is like nothing I have ever felt. I... I enjoy it immensely.”

She smiled, pulling him close, and tucking her head under his chin. “I’m so glad. You felt good to me too, you know. Earlier. When I was making you forget how to speak English.”

“Alltongue,” he corrected.

“All what?”

“I speak Alltongue. What you think is English is actually a magical translation of my native tongue. Most Asgardians use it.” 

Darcy considered this information for a second. It had never occurred to her that they didn’t just speak English on Asgard. She’d always been able to understand him, and never questioned why. But anyway, he’d totally not been speaking English earlier...which meant… She started to grin.

“Soooo, what you’re saying then, is that my skills are so totally amazing, that you forgot how to magic?” she asked smugly.

The was a beat of silence, and then he said, “You may want to go easy on the boasting, Darcy, lest a certain God of Mischief decides to consider it a challenge.”

“Oooh, I’m totally scared,” she replied, totally thrilled to hear a hint of teasing in his voice for the first time since she’d suggested he go blue. “Please don’t give me all the orgasms until I forget how to talk, Loki. My little mortal body might collapse under the strain.”

“Your little mortal body is still far too clothed for my taste,” Loki said, plucking at the hem of her rumpled muslin shift. 

“That’s an easy fix.” Darcy took his hand where it was resting on her thigh, and slid it up to her hip, pushing the shift along in front of it. “You want to get it, or should I?”

He answered with the rumbling growl she had discovered last night. It was quickly becoming one of her favorite things about his Frost Giant form. She could feel the warming spell slowly dissipating as Loki moved his hand higher up her body under her shift.

“You know, you never kissed me earlier,” she pointed out. 

“Is that a request?” he inquired.

“I’d say it’s more of a demand,” Darcy replied with a grin. “Come here. Lets see if we can work around those fangs.”

She took his face in her hands, angling it over hers, but he held back, maintaining a small distance between them. 

“What?” she asked, noticing the worry in his scarlet eyes.

“It is still hard for me to believe that you want me like this. That you want to be subjected to...”

“Subjected to what?” Darcy interrupted. “You being my favorite color? Get your lips down here, Mischief. I’ve got stuff I want to do to you.”

After another second of hesitation, he relaxed and covered her mouth with his own. As his wintery lips touched hers, a shiver washed over her body.

Loki tensed.

“It’s okay,” she assured him. “That was totally the good kind of shivering. I love how you feel. Don’t stop.”

He lowered his head again, this time slipping his tongue into her mouth when she parted her lips for him. She couldn't believe how amazing it felt, with everything familiar and unfamiliar all at the same time. The technique was decidedly his, but the sensation was completely different. Exhilarating. That was the only word she could find that covered it. 

“God, your tongue is ridiculously awesome. All cold, and sort of like...I don’t even know. Yummy.” She looked at him speculatively for moment and then said, “Roll over.”

Once he'd settled himself, Darcy climbed on top him, straddling his hips. She grasped the bottom hem of her shift, tugging it off over her head, and tossing it to the floor.

“There. This is totally the naked picnic I had in mind earlier. Now, where were we?” Her hands rested on his abdomen briefly before she let them skim up to his shoulders as she lowered herself over him. “Oh yeah, I think we were right here.”

She kissed the corner of his mouth, and then moved to the other side, letting her lips linger on his skin. When she pulled back again, he chased her, pushing himself up into a sitting position and wrapping one arm around her back to hold her close. This time as he kissed her, Darcy reached down and took his rapidly hardening cock in her hand, running her fingers over the sigils covering its length.

They were thinner, and more delicate than the ones on the rest of his body. Four long lines ran vertically downwards with smaller, horizontal marks interspersed between them . There were even concentric half-circles on the head. Darcy stroked the ridges, making him hiss in response

He looked down at her hand, and then back up at her eyes. “Tell me that you want me like this. Please.”

“You know I do.”

“Say it again. I need to hear it.” 

“I want you,” she responded immediately. 

He brushed his lips over hers and whispered, “Again.”

“I want you, Loki. So much.”

She could hear him swallowing, and then he nodded. Slowly, so he had the chance to stop her if chose to, Darcy lifted up enough to position him at her entrance. With her other hand, she cupped his cheek, keeping his eyes on hers as she eased down onto him. Her body reacted wildly to the chill and sigils, and by the time he was fully sheathed inside her, Darcy was almost unable to speak.

“Oh my God, Loki...oh my God,” she whimpered. “I thought your tongue was amazing. But this...” 

He shifted beneath her slightly, causing her muscles to flutter around him. It was incredible, and Darcy wanted more. She braced her hands on his shoulders, and cautiously rolled her hips in a figure eight. The motion left her gasping. Glancing at Loki, she found him watching her with hooded eyes, his own breath ragged. The sight of him like that almost set her off right then and there, but she managed to hold on, raising up and dropping back down until they found a steady rhythm that had them both balancing on the edge of release.

With him sitting up, she could easily reach his face and neck with her lips. And there was something in the closeness, the proximity of his gaze and his feel of his arms clasping her to his chest, that caused an intimacy in their lovemaking that she’d never felt before. Darcy rocked her her hips forward, changing the angle of his upward thrusts, and Loki groaned. She'd been so close before but the way he was suddenly hitting her inside proved her undoing, and with a small, helpless cry, Darcy tumbled over the edge.

He immediately followed, and she vaguely wondered if they were seeing the same stars. Then sensation overwhelmed her and she stopped thinking completely. Loki’s forehead was pressed to hers, one hand buried in her hair, and the other splayed across her back. She could hear him repeating something over and over in a hoarse whisper, but couldn’t make it out. 

The aftershocks seemed to go on forever, shattering them both as they held on tightly to one another. Finally they subsided enough that could lift herself off of him with shaky legs, and slide down onto the bed Loki laid down next to her, capturing her hand in his and pulling it over to his mouth so he could kiss it.

As she watched, the blue gradually ebbed from his skin, returning it to his Æsir form. Then he turned his head, giving her a heart-stopping smile. 

“So, that went pretty well, right?” Darcy said, smiling back. “Does this mean you might be open to trying it again?”

Loki’s expression sobered. “Perhaps. I do not know.” He sighed. 

“It's okay. I understand.” She felt around until she found the coverlet and then pulled it up, tucking it around them both. “Thank you by the way.”

“Why are you thanking me?” he asked.

“For trusting me enough to do that,” she replied. 

His whole face softened. “Never doubt my trust in you, Darcy. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to face these past weeks alone. You have been there at every turn, and I am so very grateful for it”

Her cheeks grew warm under his earnest gaze. “That’s just what you do for people you care about.”

“It is more rare than you think,” Loki said quietly. “At least that has been my experience.”

“Not anymore. You’ve got me now,” she promised. 

“Yes. I do.” He went silent for a moment, just looking at her, and then he said, “How did I ever find you, mortal?”

“Um… Probably because I was being super-noisy and throwing donuts at a bilgesnipe,” Darcy answered. “My guess is that’s a little hard to miss.”

Loki chuckled. “Indeed.”

“Rescued by a prince, how totally cliché can you get?” she said, shaking her head. “My Feminist Studies professor would have so much to say about that.”

“Falling in love with the first comely maiden that needs my assistance, how incredibly common of me,” he teased. 

“I’m totally not a maiden.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “And I am from another realm that you accessed due to a malfunction in a scientific experiment. I suspect the stereotypes do not apply to us, Darcy.”

“True.” Her eyes fell on the array of food still sitting on the table next to the bed. “What do you say we finish our picnic?”

Loki waved his hand, and the bowls and plates settled around them on the bed. “Strawberry?”

“Absolutely.”


	33. Not Abandoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga meets with Laufey and finds all is not as she was told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, you guys, I still have this cold. There's an upside though, because I woke up at three am, couldn't get back to sleep, and was like...dammit, I'm writing a chapter.
> 
> So I did. And here it is. Woo! :D
> 
> **************************************************************

Frigga slid down off her mount and tied the reins to a nearby tree. Tugging the concealing hood of her cloak free of her face, she made her way over to the entrance of the cave. She didn’t have long to wait. A shadow moved in the darkness, growing gradually larger until she was face to face with the King of Jötunheim. He was far more massive than she had anticipated, and Frigga felt small a frisson of apprehension. 

“Laufey,” she said, inclining her head at him politely.

“Queen of Asgard.” He eyed her with ill-concealed curiosity and dislike. 

“You must be wondering why I arranged a meeting in secret."

“Our realms are the brink of war,” he replied. “I assume you wish to speak to me of peace, though little good it will do you. Your son invaded Jötunheim, and left death in his wake. My people are calling for retribution.”

“Come Laufey,” she reasoned, “we both know those were the actions of a boy. A boy who has been severely punished for his crimes. This goes deeper. Your anger is at my husband, not my son.”

“I have always heard that you are a clever woman,” he said, giving her an appraising glance. “Tell me, is it true your husband sleeps?”

“The Allfather has succumbed to the Odinsleep, yes. Loki rules in his stead,” Frigga answered. “But I have no doubt you know all this already.”

“How frightened you must be,” Laufey said, lips twisting into a mocking smile. “A green, untested king on the throne. Your husband unable to protect Asgard, or come to your aid. I would pity you if I did not hate you so much.”

She had to control the urge to flinch at the raw loathing in his tone. “Hate me? What have I ever done to deserve your hatred, Laufey?”

He tilted his head as if her words were almost amusing. “I hate all the Æsir, _Queen_ Frigga. Your husband marched into my realm, burned my wife and child to death inside a temple where they had fled for their lives, and then marched away with Jötunheim’s only means of defense. All we have ever known from Asgard is brutality and oppression.”

“Odin would never do that. He would not burn a mother and child in a sacred place,” she protested.

“Would he not? You foolish, trusting woman. I found their charred remains myself. Victims of the Destroyer. My wife, so badly burned that I would not have known it was her, had I not recognized her jewelry. And my child...” Laufey turned away, countenance full of grief. “...so very small that there was nothing left of him. So do not tell me what Odin would or would not do. You do not mourn at an empty barrow for your only son.”

Frigga reeled. Could Odin have done this, attacked a mother protecting her child? Had his story of finding Loki alone and helpless been a lie all along? War was terrible, she knew this, but to kill a woman seeking asylum in a holy place with her child? It was unthinkable.

“Laufey,” she responded gently, trying not to incite his ire, “could your child have been left on his own in that temple? Might your wife have placed him there for his safety, and then gone outside to defend him?”

“Still trying to paint Odin in a benevolent light, Your Majesty?,” he sneered. “No. My family and the priestesses were murdered inside the temple. My wife’s ladies all perished as well.” 

This was almost too difficult to bear. Frigga prayed that Laufey was lying or mistaken, but the expression of grief on his face said otherwise. Even still, he had not witnessed what had happened. He had only seen the aftermath. Perhaps all was not what it seemed. Although, why had Odin never told her of the dead inside the temple with Loki? Surely that was something one would remember. 

The only explanation for the omission that Frigga could see made her feel ill. He had not told her because he knew she would have drawn the same conclusions she was drawing right now? That Odin had intended to capture Loki, either from the start, or once he stumbled upon the opportunity in the form of discovering his mother hiding with him in the temple. She could only imagine his reasons. The child could have been used as a bargaining chip to trade for Casket of Ancient Winters. Then when the casket was captured as well… Did he formulate a new plan? Raise the child as his own with the end result being the control of two realms?

It pained Frigga immeasurably, but had he not told her when he banished Thor that he was a king first? The welfare of Asgard came before anything else, even the welfare of his own family. She had to consider the possibility that he had done this great evil in order to steal the child of his enemy, and use him as a political pawn to the benefit of their realm.

“Ah,” Laufey, who had been watching her closely, finally said. “I see my words have weight. Perhaps you know your husband after all, Queen of Asgard.”

The words she spoke next were halting. “Laufey, what if you did not find your child with your wife because the child survived?”

“Do you think after a thousand years of mourning that I had not entertained that thought? No. There has been no sign of him in all that time. The child died with his mother.”

Frigga took a breath, steadying her voice. “But what if he did not?”

“You know something,” Laufey said, eyes narrowing as he took a hasty step in her direction. “What is it?”

She had to untangle herself from her words, and quickly. There was no telling how Laufey might react should he discern the truth. Frigga had not come to the meeting unarmed, but she was alone. It would be better not to further incite the towering Frost Giant.

“I know what it is like to love a child, and to believe they are lost to you. I know that there is always hope.” She lifted her gloved hand, almost as if to console him, and then dropped it again at the sight of his hostile glare.

“Do not compare your sorrow to mine,” he snapped. “Your son lives on Midgard while mine was consigned to flames. Tell me, Frigga, when you think of Thor, is your only image one of him burning? Crying out for you, and receiving no aid? That is what I see whenever I close my eyes. You can keep your words of hope. I have none. Your husband destroyed it along with Jötunheim.”

“Forgive me,” Frigga said. “I meant only to comfort.”

“Can you bring me back my son? Or return the casket to its rightful place in my realm?”

She remained silent, unable to answer either question.

“I did not think so,” Laufey said bitterly. “There is no comfort you can offer me. Go back to your palace, and your cursed murderer of a husband. Sit by his bedside and pray that he wakes, for if he does not… Well, perhaps a son for a son? How do you suppose your remaining child would do, leading his armies against mine?”

“I would pray that it does not come to that,” Frigga said.

“Then your prayers will go unanswered. This meeting has done little to deter me from seeking out war.” He shook his head. “How very like the Æsir. You are so arrogant. Did you truly believe you could sway me from a vengeance a thousand years in the making?”

“If you knew me at all, you would know that I am not Æsir, and that I do not surrender easily to disappointment. This war may be averted yet.”

“This war will come. And when it does, I will teach you the meaning of surrender.” With his threat made, Laufey turned and strode back into the hidden passageway to Jötunheim, quickly disappearing into the gloom.

Frigga began the tedious journey back to the palace, her thoughts churning about in a disordered array. Was what Laufey had told her the truth? Had Odin ordered the deaths of a temple full of unarmed women just to gain possession of Jötunheim’s heir? Frigga felt anguish at the thought. How could she possibly explain this newfound knowledge to Loki? It could very well lead her son to hate Odin, but she couldn’t let him continue to believe he was abandoned when that was clearly untrue. Whatever faults Laufey had, he had not left his child to die.

More than that, he loved him. She could see plainly the grief of a loving parent in his every word and expression when he spoke of Loki. Despite her own tender feelings for the boy she considered her son, she could not deny the right of his true father to know that he had lived. Nor the right Loki had to know Laufey had wanted and cherished him.

When she reached the palace, she was no closer to knowing how to tell her son what she had learned. Her only certainty was that Loki must be told, whatever the cost. With absent motions, she handed her horse over to a groom, and returned to her rooms. Frigga quibbled briefly with herself before dismissing her entire retinue for afternoon, and sending for Loki. No one must overhear what she was about to say. In a shorter time than she had expected, the Einherjar outside her door admitted Loki to her weaving room. 

He entered swiftly, hand outstretched, and face worried. “Mother. Is everything alright?”

She placed her hand in his to kiss, and then gestured at a nearby chair. Once he had taken a seat, she began. “Loki, I have news, and in truth, I am unsure how to share it with you.”

“Is it father?” he began to stand, eyes widening in concern. 

“No, no,” she said, motioning for him to sit back down. “It is nothing like that. At least, not what you suspect. I do not wish to anger you, but you should know that I met with Laufey this afternoon in an effort to secure peace.”

This time he did stand. “Mother! Why would you do this on your own? You could have been killed!”

“I was in no danger, Loki,” Frigga tried to assure him. “Should the need have arisen, I could have defended myself, and you are not the only one who has mastered a teleportation spell.”

“That does not matter. Your safety is paramount to me, and also to the morale of Asgard. How could you have put yourself under threat like that?” After his initial outburst, he seemed to be struggling not to shout, but she could see the anger still vibrating through his tall frame.

“You are right,” she conceded. “Please forgive me. I was so consumed with preventing a war, that I did not consider my own safety.”

“No, you did not,” Loki said, and then sighed, dropping back into the chair. “I suppose what you have to tell me concerns your meeting?”

Frigga looked down at her hands, twisting in her lap, and then up at her son. “It does.” 

“What is it?” he asked, brow furrowing. “Why do you seem so troubled?”

“Laufey spoke of you, Loki. He believes that you perished along with your mother, during the war with Jötunheim.”

He stared. “He thinks I am dead? What are you saying? Father said he found me abandoned.”

She hesitated. “It would seem that your father was wrong. According to Laufey, your mother sought shelter and protection for you both in the temple. He claims they were discovered, along with the priestesses and ladies, and that all inside were slain by the Destroyer.”

“Slain by the Destroyer?” Loki’s jaw dropped. “Father never mention anything like that. He said I was alone. Unwanted.” His questioning eyes burned into hers. “Mother? What really happened in that temple?”

“I do not know, Loki,” she said, shaking her head. “No one may truly know but those who were there. What I do know, is that Laufey cared for you, and has been mourning you all this time. He believes you died with your mother. I do not doubt that he would have torn realms apart to find you, had he any inkling that you still lived.”

“But if my mo…. If the woman who birthed me was killed by the Destroyer…”

“She was your mother,” Frigga interrupted to say. “Do not take that from her. It would seem she died trying to save your life. She must have loved you very much.”

“My mother,” he retorted sharply, “is sitting right here in front of me, not lying in some barrow in Jötunheim.”

Frigga decided it would be unwise to push him further on that point. After all, what she was sharing was difficult enough. It was a great deal more to ask him to accept and recognize a mother he could not even remember. 

Loki seemed to be working through what he’d been told. Frigga could see the exact moment when he began to draw the same conclusions that were so disturbing to her.

“If Father did not tell us the truth about me being found alone in that temple… Does that mean he didn’t rescue me? Was I intentionally stolen?” He paused a moment, a terrible light dawning in his eyes. “Laufey believes Father killed everyone in that temple, but he didn’t, did he? He killed them, and took me. That would mean I was nothing more than leverage. Leverage the man I call my father murdered to obtain. I am merely a prize, brought back from Jötunheim. The spoils of war.”

“Loki, please,” Frigga said, reaching for his hands and clasping them in her own. “Whatever his initial intentions were in taking you. Whatever actions he took in Jötunheim during that war, I know that he loves you. And in that love, you ceased to be anything more or less than his son.”

“If you believe that, Mother, then tell me this, do you think he would have set me on the throne of Jötunheim the very moment Laufey died?” 

“I do not know,” she replied with a heavy heart. “This has been a hard revelation for me as well. There was a time when I thought your father and I had no secrets. It would seem I was wrong.”

“No, I have been wrong,” Loki said, eyes dark with anger. “For I have been wishing he would awake when it may be better for everyone if he did not.”

“Loki,” she exclaimed brokenly. “Do not say such things. You cannot mean them.”

“Really? Where is Thor? Hm? Banished,” he said, throwing his arms out in disgust. “And for what? Doing nothing Father hadn’t already done. He paved this road, Mother. We are only traveling on it, and reaping the rewards. Thor is left friendless and powerless on Midgard. I am facing war with my own race, and my true father. And you… You are trying to pick up the pieces his lies have left behind. Father did this to all of us!”

He stood before her, panting with fury. Frigga wasn’t sure how this conversation could have gone so wrong. In truth, though, she wasn’t sure how else it could have gone. Even she could not find just reasons for Odin’s actions. There was something else as well. Something she needed to know.

“Now that you know Laufey did not abandon you, will you tell him who you are?”

Loki opened his mouth to answer, and closed it again. Then he looked away, shaking his head. “I don’t know. What good would it do? Do you really think he would want to claim an heir he has not seen in a thousand years? A son who has been raised by his enemies, and taught to hate what he is? It is far more likely that he would use the knowledge of the Allfather’s treachery as an excuse for war.”

“Do you think he would declare war on his own son?” Frigga asked softly.

“Right now,” he replied, “I don’t know whose son I am.”

She got up and crossed to where he was, taking his face in her hands. “Mine. You are _my_ son. No matter what other truths may come to light, that one will remain constant.”

He reached up and covered her hands with his. Frigga could see tears in his eyes. 

“Don’t let yourself become filled with rage, and vengeance, Loki,” she said. “It does sometimes seem warranted, but in the end, it will cause the most damage to you and to those you love.”

After a moment, Loki nodded. “I have to return to the Great Hall. There is endless procession nobles to deal with.”

“Would you like my help?” she asked, smiling at him.

“Are you certain?” he replied. “It would take you away from the Allfather’s bedside.”

Frigga shook out her skirts, smoothing them down with her hands. “I will have one of the healers sit with him. It is time for me to resume my duties, and be useful again.”

“Then yes,” Loki said. “Your presence would be most welcome. The people have missed their Queen.”

“And I them. Come,” she replied, taking his arm. “Let us go down together.”

**********************************************************************************

Once she’d heard the doors close behind them, Ærndís came out of the sitting room where she’d been concealed during their conversation. She’d stayed back after the other ladies left in the hopes of speaking with the Queen regarding Lady Darcy’s behavior with her son. Instead she had found out far more shocking news than she’d ever expected.

Loki was not Odin’s son. He was Laufey’s. To think, all this time she had spent waiting for him to notice her, and all along he had been a Jötunn imposter. Now he was ruling Asgard. She felt her stomach lurch. One of those monsters on the throne. It was incredible how Frigga was covering up such a lie at time when Asgard was poised for war with Jötunheim.

She had to tell someone. Someone who would understand, who wouldn’t stand for such a deception. After a moment’s desperate thought, Ærndís made a decision. There was only one person who could right the lies and depose the Jötunn king. Although… If she wished to get to him, she was going to need help.


	34. Science Nuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One scientist, one genius playboy, and one completely confused God of Thunder have a conversation. (with pistachios...and pie)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out. It's a pretty long chapter, and my entire family has been sick with this awful respiratory/bronchial thing for over a week. One of my little people has this very bad habit of ending up in the hospital whenever he gets ill. So I had to drop everything to make sure that didn't happen again. Anyway, we're all finally recovering. YAY!
> 
> Also, sorry if I was slow responding, or haven't responded to emails yet. I'll get on that today and tomorrow. :D (Lavanya, I'm looking at you. I'm so sorry that I didn't get back to you, things have been horrendous here, but I'm going to think of prompts today.)
> 
> ******************************************************************

Tony Stark dug through one of the cluttered drawers in the lab he and Jane Foster had been assigned to after the slight mishap he'd had the prior day in their _old_ lab with his shoulder mounted rocket. In truth, he couldn't exactly call this room a lab. He had bigger walk-in humidors in his place in New York, but after Nicky's temper tantrum over the explosion, Tony decided not to push it. They man seriously had no sense of humor. Which was sad, really. Pirates were so much better when they had a sense of humor. Maybe he could fly Johnny Depp in to give Fury lessons.

His fingers finally came in contact with the bag of pistachios he'd hidden in the drawer earlier. Just as he was opening the crinkly white paper, his lab partner wandered back in from where she was checking on their alien beefcake. “Space Tarzan up yet?” he asked, throwing a handful of shelled pistachios into his mouth and crunching loudly.

Jane blinked in surprise, finally looking up from the StarkPad she was holding in her hands. Typical. It was like working with a goldfish. Every time she walked out of the lab, she forgot what it looked like, and who was in it. 

"Who?"

"The alien version of Fabio we've got stowed away in the mason jar downstairs. Did. He. Wake. Up?" Tony mimed eyes opening up with a hand gesture on either side of his face. Then he realized it looked like jazz hands. Eh. She probably didn't notice.

"Oh. Him. No. And I’ve been doing some research. He's definitely not Tarzan," she said absently, dropping her gaze back down to the Starkpad, and narrowly missing a chair as she headed his way. "Look at this.” She handed him the tablet. “Remember how he kept yelling about a hammer and then said he was the son of Odin? I did some googling. Just check out the tabs.”

He squinted at the pages opened up on the tablet. It looked like some kind of some kind of story in verse. “What the hell is this? Poetry? Look, if it’s not Shel Silverstein, I’m not really…" Tony cocked his head. "Huh. How about that.” He set the small paper bag full of pistachios down, motioning for Jane to help herself. 

“Right?” she said, planting both hands on the table and then boosting herself up. “Keep going, though.” 

Jane fished around in the bag and got a handful of pistachios, chomping them as Tony continued to read. After scanning through a few more pages, he came across something that made his eyebrows raise straight up on his forehead. Apparently Dulcie's new friend was one kinky motherfucker.

“Did you get to this part about the horse? Because, seriously, if your line of thought here is correct, our little intern friend is going to have a completely screwy stepchild situation. Talk about baggage. Although it could be convenient if she ever needed to ride a horse with eight legs somewhere," he mused. "Tell me, in your expert opinion as a scientist, is it considered bestiality if they're both horses at the time?”

Tony flipped the StarkPad around to show her the disturbing equine illustration accompanying the text. 

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure that’s all symbolic, or something. I mean, this Sturluson guy thinks they’re gods, and we both know that’s not true.”

“Oh yeah? Tell that to the potential Thunder God downstairs. All I’m saying is that Dulcie…”

“Darcy,” Jane corrected automatically.

He pursed his lips, and looked at the illustration again, trying not to shudder. “Whatever. She’s has a right to know that she might be dating National Velvet's mother.”

“You know that wasn’t the name of the horse, right? The _girl’s_ name was Velvet. The horse was called The Piebald, and... You know what? None of this matters.” Jane shook her head as if to rid it of the conversation. “What matters is that our guy and the guy that Darcy showed up here with are probably from the same place.”

Stark didn't understand the big deal. It wasn't like either one of their new alien acquaintances seemed remotely useful. Cocky? Yes. Dangerous? Yes. Drunk? Possibly. But useful? Debatable. 

“So they’re from the same place, so what?” he said with a shrug. "Is this a jealousy thing? The Intern Once Again Known as Missing has a space boyfriend, and now you want one too? Not that I blame you. He's much prettier than those guys with oval heads and giant eyes that you always see in movies. Just don't come crying to me if he starts talking about probing stuff."

Jane looked completely exasperated. “Are you serious right now? First of all, we could find out if he knows how Darcy is, which may not be important to you, but I’m a little concerned about her. Second of all…”

“I’m sorry,” Tony said, holding his hand up impatiently, “but is this going to be a lengthy explanation, because I need to tell you first, and I mean this sincerely, that I will probably stop listening in about forty-seven more seconds. It’s not you, it’s me.” He paused and scratched his chin in thought. “No, it’s you. You have this incredibly boring way of getting your points across. Anyway, forty-seven seconds…” He set a timer on his watch, and then pointed at her. “Aaaaaaand, go!”

“The bridge,” she said, with an expression that made him wonder if she were contemplating throwing the entire contents of the pistachio bag in his face. “The algorithms generated when he landed suggested they were using a second, more powerful Einstein-Rosen Bridge. He may be able to show us how to make ours more reliable.”

“By reliable,” Tony said, “you mean work, right? Because so far, all it’s done is hum loudly and explode.”

Jane narrowed her eyes at him. “Kind of like how the last four attempts at getting that shoulder mounted rocket up and running went?” 

“I resent your implications there, Weird Science,” he huffed defensively, setting the tablet down, and folding his arms over his chest. 

“I resent the fact that we’re currently working in this closet because you blew ours up,” she retorted. 

“You know, behavior like this is not going to get you invited to my Christmas party,” Tony told her. “Not that I had considered inviting you. But now I am just so I can uninvite you.”

She opened her mouth as if to respond, but closed it again as Coulson entered the room looking all officious, and carrying a folder full of papers. 

"Sorry about the interruption, but Director Fury wanted to let you know that our new friend has woken up," he said.

"Really?" Jane replied in a tone of excitement. She must have noticed the looks on both Coulson, and Tony's faces, because she immediately modulated her tone. "I just meant..." She cleared her throat. "You know, it's good. That's he's awake. I have quite a few questions for him about Darcy, and the anomalies we recorded during his arrival. When can I talk to him?"

“Unfortunately, those questions will just have to wait, Dr. Foster,” Coulson replied. “I promise, you’ll get your chance to speak with him once Director Fury is satisfied that he’s not a threat." 

Tony looked at Coulson, completely incredulous. A threat? Seriously? His cell is a bunker within a bunker within the world’s most impenetrable military installation. Not to mention he has no weapon, no clear idea of where is, and has probably sobered up by now. He could try to attack us, sure...but what would be in it for him? A swift death? I'm willing to bet he'll try avoiding that."

"Excuse me, Mr. Stark," Coulson replied in a voice that was growing chillier by the moment, "but may I remind you that we're the professionals here, and we'd prefer it if civilians kept their distance until we could ascertain the threat level ourselves."

“Ooooh, mom’s mad at me,” Tony stage-whispered conspiratorially to Jane.

She frowned disapprovingly. Tony knew the frown all too well. Pepper had a similar model.

"Alright, Coulson," he conceded. "We’ll wait. But only because I’m expecting a pizza delivery in about five minutes, and J.A.R.V.I.S. tends to get testy if he has to order another one because I let the first one go cold.”

“I heard that,” the A.I.’s offended voice came from the nearby computer speakers. 

Tony sighed. “You realize this means he’s going to complain about me to Pepper, right?” He started for the door, and called over his shoulder at the still irritated-looking Jane. “Let’s go, Weird Science. I ordered yours with extra mushrooms.”

One hour and two pizzas later, they were finally given the green light to visit. The brawny blonde alien behind the wide bulletproof window of the cell was sitting on a small cot in the corner. 

“Um, hey,” Jane said from the other side of the metal walkway. “You’re awake.”

“I’m sure he’s grateful that you told him that, Professor Obvious,” Tony muttered, wondering how the hell academics managed to fend for themselves in the real world. “What’s next on your very scientific agenda? Shall we point out that he isn't in Valhalla anymore?"

Jane turned around and glared at him. “Really?”

“What? I’m just trying to help,” he answered.

She rolled her her eyes, and started to turn back to their new friend in the tank. “Let me just apologize for my…eep!” Jane jumped back with a yelp when she realized he was now standing mere inches away from her on the other side of the glass. 

"Smooth," Stark snorted in amusement while she shot him a look of death. 

“As I was saying," she began again. "I apologize for my colleague’s rude behavior. I’m Dr. Jane Foster, and this is Tony Stark. We found you out in the desert when you, um…landed.”

“Spectacular entrance, by the way,” Tony said. “I especially loved the part where you referred to the sky as your father, ordered it to take you home, and then repeatedly demanded a hammer." After a few moments of no reply other than cold silence, he decided humor wasn’t working and tried another approach. "Pistachio? They're a type of nut.” He held the bag up, and shook some into the area of the cell where food could be passed through.

"Are you sure that's okay, Tony?" Jane hissed under her breath at him through a clench-toothed smile. 

"I don't see any signs saying don’t feed the prisoner, do you? Besides, I'm guessing Fury hasn't given him to eat anything since his dismount from the atmosphere."

The man that Jane had potentially identified as Thor stared at the pistachios and the two of them in disbelief. Tony got the impression that he thought they might also be nuts. He would have been offended, but all things considered, dude had a point.

“Why do you continue to hold me prisoner?” their guest demanded to know. “Release me at once. I must find Mjölnir!”

“I knew it!” Jane crowed. “He _is_ Thor! Or at least he thinks he’s Thor.”

He blinked, seeming surprised that she recognized him. “That is my name. How do you know it?" 

“Oh. I researched you online. It’s so nice to meet you,” Jane said, holding her hand out. Then she seemed to remember he was behind glass, and lamely dropped it back at her side. 

This did nothing to alleviate him staring at them like they were crazy. If anything, he now looked totally convinced. Tony felt like it was up to him to save the situation. 

“So,” he said conversationally, downing a few pistachios himself just to prove they weren't dangerous, “Dr. Foster here thinks we’ve met your brother. Does tall, dark, and goth with a very short fuse sound familiar?”

Thor’s brow furrowed. “Goth? I do not understand the term.”

“Lots of fashionably morbid black leather and metal. Horns?” Tony clarified, using his hands to illustrate what the Intern Once Again Known as Missing’s boyfriend had been wearing. The other man seemed to immediately recognize his description.

“Loki?” he asked, clearly astonished. “Loki has been _here_?”

“Yep, that’s the one,” Tony replied. “He showed up down here with her intern a few weeks ago. And that brings me to my point, actually. You haven’t seen her, have you?”

“Seen who? Dr. Foster?” Thor inquired, brow once again furrowed. “Is she not standing right there?”

Tony cocked an eyebrow. For a god, this guy was really dense. “No. I was thinking more along the lines of the intern. You know, the one we just said was with your brother.”

“I have not met anyone named Intern, nor am I aware of Loki knowing anyone by that name,” he responded. “Are you certain they are acquainted?”

Tony decided they must not have IQ requirements for the God of Thunder position. Maybe holding a hammer, and being able to bellow were the only prerequisites. Jane rolled her eyes. She was probably thinking the same thing.

“Her name is Darcy, and yeah, we’re sure they’re acquainted," Tony said. "See that, Dr. Foster? I actually paid attention to something you said. Someone ought to get me a cookie. I prefer chocolate chip with macadamia nuts, but it's your call."

Thor was now staring at them both in surprise. “Darcy? You know Darcy?”

Jane straightened up excitedly. “Yes. She’s my intern. I’m an astrophysicist, and she’s a political science major, which technically doesn’t really have anything to do with science, but there really weren’t many candidates for the position in Puente Antiguo. Anyway, we had this accident a few months ago with our Einstein-Rosen Bridge. I’m not sure if you know what that is, but oddly enough your arrival was giving off similar readings, and...”

“Wrap it up, Weird Science, you’re starting to lose him,” Tony announced, pointing to Thor’s expression of rapidly increasing bewilderment.

“Right, right. Sorry. Getting to the part about Darcy. The Einstein-Rosen Bridge malfunctioned, and she somehow ended up on another planet where she met your brother, and then they came down here for a little while before they went back. I’ve been really worried, because we haven’t heard from her in so long, but it sounds like you’ve seen her. Thank God. Is she alright?” Jane asked eagerly.

“I do not understand. We cannot be speaking of the same woman.” Thor shook his head. “The Darcy I know is a Vanir noblewoman. My brother would have no reason to bring her here.”

“Oh,” Jane said in disappointment. “Are you sure, though? I mean, it would be a pretty huge coincidence for there to be two women called Darcy with your brother. Not the biggest coincidence, because the odds of it happening are certainly possible, but the name Darcy isn’t exactly a common one, and it is most likely less common where you’re from.”

Tony watched the whole exchange with growing exasperation before holding up a hand to cut her off. “Look, I can make this real simple.” He picked up the StarkPad and scrolled through until he found stills from the surveillance footage of Loki and Darcy, and pressed the screen against the glass so Thor could see it. “This is our intern friend. Does she look familiar?”

“No,” he said, “that is not…” His abruptly stopped speaking, mouth hanging open. A look of realization dawned in his eyes and then he growled, “Loooki,” in a low, furious voice.

“I take it you’ve met,” Tony said with a smile. “How is she? Still happy with your insanely jealous, psychopathic brother? Did I mention he threatened to kill me for commenting on her breasts? Not that it matters, but I thought I’d throw that out there.”

Thor looked as if he wanted to hammer something twice as badly now as he had the night before. “She is well,” he grit out through clenched teeth. “My brother, on the other hand, is in danger of losing his life.” 

”Yeah, he seems to instill that reaction in a lot of people. Care to elaborate?” Stark asked.

“Loki enjoys sewing the seeds of chaos. In this case, I believe he has gone too far, and somehow involved our own mother in his schemes,” Thor replied.

“Wait,” Jane said. “What chaos? Are you saying Darcy is in some sort of trouble? How bad? Oh my God, it’s not illegal is it?”

“I promise you, if she has been it is at the hand of my brother, and she will not be implicated in any way. Release me so that I might locate Mjölnir, and return to Asgard to set things right. You need not fear for your friend, no harm will come to her, and I shall see her safely home.”

Tony rolled his shoulders, thinking. “Mjölnir is your hammer?”

”Yes, I lost it when I was cast out…” Thor paused and seemed to reconsider his words. “... _descended_ to Midgard.”

”I haven’t heard about a mythological hammer being discovered anywhere, and believe me, if one had been, S.H.I.E.L.D. would all over it like white on rice,” Tony informed him. “They live for that sort of thing.”

Thor seemed slightly amused by that. “I am certain I can find Mjölnir. Even if your…” He glanced around his cell for a moment. “...hospitable friends cannot.”

“Look at that, Weird Science, looks _and_ a sense of humor,” Tony said to Jane. 

“We’re not friends of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” she clarified.

“She has a point there, Big Thunder,” he told Thor. “It’s more of a frenemies situation. Which is why I’m considering letting you out of there.”

“Tony!” Jane hissed. “Fury would go ballistic!”

“You realize that’s actually more of a plus than a minus, right?” he replied, establishing a secure connection to J.A.R.V.I.S. via the StarkPad.

“You can’t just let him out!” 

“Uh, yes I can. Watch.”

“No, I mean, it’s not safe,” she argued. “What if he, I don’t know, tries to…”

“What? Take over the world with the power of his flowing blonde locks? Let me ask him.” Tony turned to Thor who had been watching the proceedings with a great deal of interest. “Hey Thor, any plans for world domination today?”

“No. I did not have any intentions of doing so,” he responded. “I merely wish to find my hammer and return home.”

“See? We’re good,” Tony said with a shrug. “They have no reason for holding him anyway.” 

“Yeah, but…”

“Look, the most threatening thing he’s done to date is shout about some mythological hardware. I’m pretty sure he’s a safe bet. Besides, he’s probably hungry. Have they fed you yet?” he asked Thor.

The Thunder God smiled. Jane suddenly seemed to lose focus, and even Tony had to admit it was fucking charming.

“They have not.”

“See? He’s hungry. I say we bust him out, take him to the diner in town, and get some pie. It’s not like anyone will know. J.A.R.V.I.S. can jam the signals from the cell, and create false video feed to make it look like he's still there.”

Jane glanced at Thor out of the corner of her eye. “What if he’s dangerous?” she mouthed to Tony.

“If I may,” Thor, who had obviously read her lips, responded. “You have questions about your friend, and my arrival. I would be more than happy to answer all of them in exchange for my freedom.”

“I’d take that offer if I were you,” Tony said to her.

She still looked doubtful.

“Look, it’s a diner, not a weapons expo. What’s he really going to do? Use a salad fork to eat his entree? Stiff the waitress on a tip? It’ll be fine, Weird Science. Stop worrying.”

“I just think we should clear it with Director Fury first.”

“Um. No. Let’s not.” Tony could see Jane was still hesitating, but all it would take was a little push. “Do you want your answers?”

“Well, yes.”

“Alright then.” He tapped the StarkPad. The door opened, and Thor stepped out. 

“I thank you for your help, Anthony, Jane,” he said, nodding at them.

“No problem, and let’s not make it all formal. Tony’s fine,” Stark replied. “Anyway, now comes the fun part.”

Jane groaned. “Why do I feel like this is going to involve a high speed chase through the desert?”

“Because you worry too much. All we have to do is get down to the sub-level parking garage and appropriate some wheels. I’ve already sent clearances in to the gatehouse.”

“We’re stealing a S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle?” She shook her head. “If we get caught, I’m saying you took me hostage.”

Tony pursed his lips. “Fair enough. Okay, let’s do this.”

J.A.R.V.I.S. handled the cameras on the way down to the garage, and when they got there, Tony used him to remotely hotwire one of the SUVs. 

“Not bad, eh?” he asked Jane, jerking his head at the large vehicle.

“Ask me again when we’re cleared to leave without getting arrested,” she replied.

“You believe we will be arrested, Dr. Foster?” Thor inquired while climbing into the back seat.

Jane swiveled around in the passenger side where she was buckling her seatbelt. “The last time he said everything would be fine, he blew up our lab. Tony's a little reckless, and unpredictable...and sort of an ass.”

“I’m also a charming as hell genius inventor, philanthropist, and billionaire who saved the world once,” Tony retorted, “but you know, feel free to omit that part.”

“Anthony, you saved Midgard?” Thor was clearly impressed.

“Yeah,” Tony replied nonchalantly. “It was kind of a dull Wednesday and the world needed saving, so I decided to take care of that instead of sleeping off my hangover. And it’s still Tony, not Anthony.”

“Is he always such a braggart?” the god asked Jane.

“Yes,” she replied. 

Tony looked over at her in annoyance. “You know, for an astrophysicist who can’t even explain how the device she built sent her intern into space, you certainly enjoy taking potshots at other people.”

“I can explain how it sent Darcy into space,” she objected. “I just can’t recreate the results in a controlled setting.”

“Which is rocket scientist for saying you have no idea how it worked to begin with.” 

Jane shot him an icy look, folded her arms, and faced the window without another word.

“Well, this is going to be a fun road trip,” Tony quipped, starting the engine.

“Until we get arrested,” she muttered.

“We’re not getting arrested. A hundred bucks says that twenty minutes from now, you’ll be sitting across from me eating pie.”

Jane didn’t take the bet, which was unfortunate, because Tony would have won. It was smooth sailing at the gatehouse, and they reached town without incident.

“So, Weird Science,” Tony said as they settled into a table, and picked up their menus, “what are you going to order? I was thinking of getting the peach cobbler myself. How about you, God of Thunder? Peach cobbler sound good?”

“I have never had it.”

Tony gaped at him. “What kind of planet doesn’t have peach cobbler? So two orders of peach cobbler then, and get whatever else you want. I’m buying.”

Thor perused his menu for a moment and then pointed to one of pictures. “What are these?”

Jane glanced over and said, “Those are waffles. You don’t have waffles on…?”

“Asgard,” he answered, “and no, we do not. I shall have the waffles. Also eggs, bread, and these meat strips.”

“Bacon,” Stark said. 

“Bacon,” Thor repeated.

“Right.” Tony addressed the waitress who had come up with her pad. “I’ll have the peach cobbler. He’s also having peach cobbler plus everything else on your breakfast menu, and for the scientist?”

“Just coffee please,” Jane requested.

“Coffees all around then,” he said.

“You got it, hon,” the waitress replied, and headed back to the kitchen.

“You were going to tell us about Darcy,” Jane reminded Thor.

“Yes. She is well,” he said. “The last I saw of her, she was fitting in at court admirably. Although now that I know who she is, quite a few things make more sense.”

Her eyes popped open in shock. “Excuse me, fitting in at _court_?” 

“So Loki wasn’t lying about being space royalty then,” Tony replied. “How about that.”

“My brother told you he was a prince?” Thor asked.

“It came up just after he kicked a chair out from under me.”

Their guest’s eyebrows rose up. “This was over Darcy?”

“Yep.”

“Loki can be a bit...possessive,” Thor said. “It has always been a fault of his. He is quite taken with your friend. I myself was on the receiving side of his ire regarding her.”

Their food arrived, and the conversation ground to a halt until the waitress left.

“Sounds like you were taken with her too,” Jane said, smiling at him.

Thor looked slightly uncomfortable. “Darcy is quite unique for a lady of the Asgardian court,” he explained. “I appreciated her honesty and lack of…” He stopped searching for the right word.

“A filter?” Jane asked.

Thor grinned. “Just as you say. She speaks her mind with a freedom that is very unusual. I cannot believe I did not recognize her as the girl I met at the hunting lodge.”

“What hunting lodge?” she asked, cup poised halfway to her mouth.

“She did not tell you?”

Jane shook her head.

“The first time I met Darcy, she was staying with my brother at the family hunting lodge. Loki assured me that their affair would be short-lived, and that he would return her to Midgard,” Thor said.

“That must have been after she got hurt,” she surmised. “Darcy told us Loki had taken care of her, but she didn’t say where.”

“She was injured?" Thor asked. "I was unaware of any injury. Also, there is something else I do not understand. Loki said he found her on Midgard, but you have indicated that she arrived there prior to meeting him due to some sort of device.”

“An Einstein-Rosen Bridge,” Jane said. “I built one, and we were testing it when Darcy happened to walk right into the active transport field. From what she said when they came back a month or so ago, it dropped her on your planet where she was attacked by some giant animal. Loki patched her up, but she still wasn’t fully recovered when they were here. She passed out while we were talking to them.”

“My brother said nothing to me of her being injured. Loki, healing a Midgardian. I would not have guessed that," he mused. "I must admit that I did not delve too deeply into their relationship at the time other than to encourage him to end it.” He took a sip of his coffee, and his face lit up. “This drink, I like it!”

“It’s alright,” Tony said noncommittally, glancing down at his cup. “If you really want the good stuff, I could get you some…”

Before he could finish, Thor drained his coffee and hurled his now empty mug down on the floor of diner, where it shattered noisily.

“Another!” he shouted.

The waitstaff gawked at them, and the other customers stopped eating to stare. Tony and Jane looked from the pieces of the cup on the floor back up to the beaming Thor in shock.

“Uh, what the hell was that?” Tony asked Thor.

“I like this drink, and I wish to have another,” he answered, seeming confused by their reaction.

“Yeah, well, generally you just ask the waitress for a refill,” Jane replied in a loud, angry whisper. “You don’t smash your cup on the ground and shout for another one. I mean, were you raised in a barn?”

“Oh,” a thoroughly chastised Thor answered. “Forgive me. I did not know this wasn't the custom here. It will not happen again.”

“Good,” she said, then she turned to the cluster of waitresses and bus boys standing behind the counter. “I’m really sorry. He’s um...not from around here. We’ll pay for the mug.”

Things had barely settled back down in the restaurant, when a second black SUV pulled up outside and parked behind theirs. Doors had already begun opening even before the tires had stopped rolling, and Fury exited with Coulson right behind him.

“Shit,” Tony observed. “Looks like mom and dad found out we’re playing hooky.”

Jane watched nervously as they approached, but Thor seemed unperturbed, continuing to eat and drink as if he was stalked in diners by secret agents all the time. Tony decided to follow his example, and took another bite of pie. 

“What do you think they’re going to do?” Jane asked, eyes widening as the bell on the door jingled.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Tony replied.

The two men had reached their table. Fury wasted no time in grabbing a chair and seating himself. Coulson seemed to debate for a moment before doing the same. 

Nick immediately addressed Tony. “Mr. Stark, I am going to overlook the fact that you circumvented my security, released my prisoner, and stole a S.H.I.E.L.D. issue vehicle, as we currently have bigger fish to fry. Rest assured, if it happens again, you will find yourself becoming acquainted with one of my high-security cells from the inside.”

“You seem stressed, Nicky. Can I order some pie for you?” Tony asked.

The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s nostrils flared. “No thank you. As I said, we have bigger fish to fry.” He scrutinized Thor, who was still complacently eating. “Agent Coulson tells me that you mentioned a hammer shortly after your arrival in the desert. Is this correct?”

“Mjölnir,” Thor said, abruptly wiping his mouth, and fixing his full attention on Fury. “Have you found it?”

Coulson cleared his throat. “Our operatives were alerted to a what was initially thought to be the wreckage of a satellite which landed in the desert the same night you did. The crash site is approximately seven miles from here. When we investigated, we found it to be a large, metal hammer embedded in the ground inside a fairly large crater. All attempts to remove it have proved unsuccessful.”

“That is Mjölnir.” Thor stood up, and started for the door. “Tell me which direction it is in.” 

“Slow down there, Big Thunder,” Tony said. “We’ve got two cars outside, and I haven’t finished my pie yet.”

“You do not understand. Mjölnir is a formidable weapon. It cannot be left alone in the desert,” he replied, agitation plain on his face. 

Fury leaned back in his chair. “Just how formidable are we talking here?”

“Take me to it, and I shall demonstrate,” Thor told him.

Coulson and Nick exchanged a glance. Tony set his fork down with a sigh.

“We’re leaving for the crash site, aren’t we?” he asked. Without waiting for an answer he pulled out his wallet, threw a considerable amount of money down on the table, and waved their waitress over. He gestured at the massive amount of food in front of Thor. “We’ll need all this boxed up.”

Ten minutes later they were on their way, surrounded by a mountain of styrofoam takeout boxes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey All,
> 
> I don't know if you saw this, but the lovely Lavanyalabelle is accepting prompts for Marvel fic. WOOOOHOOO! Anyone who wants to prompt her can find her tumblr here: [Prompt Posting from justdessertsfortea](http://justdessertsfortea.tumblr.com/post/102875830185/prompt-me-maybe)


	35. A Little Bit of Midgardian Diplomacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki schedules peace talks and a trip to Midgard. Meanwhile Darcy has some peace talks of her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't think of anything to say today, so I'll just leave you with this:  
>   
> Mmmmm, King Loki.
> 
> ********************************************************

Darcy had spent the morning searching for Sif to no avail. In fact, she couldn’t find any of Thor’s friends. She was sorta annoyed about that, because it seemed like their meeting with Loki hadn’t gone well, and she wanted to find out why.

(And possibly kick some ass if they’d been douchey to him, but that was besides the point.) 

After a boring lunch in the dining hall where she had to sit with the other ladies and discuss the finer points of needlework, Darcy headed off to the throne room to see if she at least could steal a few moments with Loki. 

_Hey Mischief, you busy?_ she sent from her cuff while on her way down.

At first she thought maybe he was in the middle of something, but then he replied, _Second antechamber on the right. Five minutes._

She frowned down at her cuff and sent back. _What’s happening in the second antechamber on the right in five minutes?_

Instead of words, he promptly dispatched an image of the two of them doing things on the table in that room that she was pretty sure the craftsman had never intended when he built it. Her favorite part involved Loki’s head. Under her skirt. Doing stuff.

It was the longest five minutes ever. The Einherjar posted outside the huge golden doors watched her with smooth, expressionless faces as she fidgeted. Finally the doors swung open, and line of people who had sought an audience with the King that morning exited. 

Darcy smiled at the Einherjar, and tried to act nonchalant as she walk past them into the throne room. She suspected they knew what was up, though. This wasn’t the first ‘private’ meeting she’d had with the current King of Asgard lately. Fortunately, they were more or less sworn to silence on things like who Loki spent his time with.

Her footsteps echoed through the empty hall as she made her way between the columns and over to the door to the antechamber. As soon as she stepped inside, a warm body pressed up behind her, and Loki lifted her hair out of the way so he could kiss her neck. Sighing happily, Darcy snuggled back into him and then made a face when she felt all the armor between them. 

“You’re all formal today,” she said, leaning her head back so she could look at him..

“Mmm,” he agreed. “I had a visit from the Vanir Ambassador.”

“Yeah? Over the Jötunheim situation?”

Loki nodded. “Everyone is concerned, as well they should be.”

“Have you heard from Laufey?” she asked. “Is he still threatening war?”

“I sent him a raven this morning requesting a meeting,” he replied and her jaw dropped.

“Really? You’re going to meet with Laufey? Where?” Darcy pulled away so she could face him.

“That was the other reason I was speaking with Ambassador Olinsdöttir. I wish to conduct the meeting on neutral ground.”

“So on Vanaheim then. No wonder they’re nervous. Did she agree to it?”

“Tentatively,” Loki said. “I am still awaiting Laufey’s reply.”

“Wow.” Darcy perched on the edge of the table. “Are you going to tell him about...you know…”

He shifted his shoulder uncomfortably. “I have not decided. My mother believes I should.”

“Me too, but you know that,” she said. 

“Yes, I do.” Loki pulled his helmet off and set it down on the far side of the table, and then began unfastening the tall metal collar around his neck. 

“Oooh,” Darcy declared once he’d gotten that off and started removing his chest plate. “Is this like a royal striptease? Because if so, I am totally into it.”

“Are you?” He laid the ornate piece of armor down next to the rest, and dropped his cape on top of it. “Well then, I would hate to disappoint.”

“C’mere,” she said, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. “I’ll get the shoulder thingies.”

He stood in front of her, letting her undo the rest of the buckles. Once his arms were free of those and his vambraces, Loki rubbed his wrists and shoulders wearily. 

“What’s up with you, Mischief?” she asked, taking one of his hands in hers and massaging his palm. “You’re not even using magic to get your armor off. Exactly how worn out are you?”

“You expect me to admit that?” he responded, the slight flutter of a dry smile on his lips. 

“Nope. But it doesn’t matter, because I can tell anyway.” She pulled her legs up so she was kneeling on the table and patted the spot in front of her. “Sit.”

He didn’t even hesitate, just turned and sat down with his back to her. Darcy scooted closer to him, and began gently rubbing his temples. After a few seconds she could feel him begin to relax, and moved her fingertips to trace over his face. 

Loki reached up and cupped his hands over hers for a moment. Magic swept up her arms to the crown of her head, and then down, removing her glamour. 

“I love when you do that,” she said, sliding her hands down to his neck, and pressing her thumbs alongside the vertebrae.

“I look forward to a time when it will be no longer necessary to conceal the face I have grown so fond of,” he said. 

She began to work on his shoulders, and he made a low sound of contentment. 

“You know what I look forward to?” Darcy asked. “When we can just sort of hang out at my apartment and watch movies. I’m totally going to introduce you to junk food. There’s a whole world of yummy stuff out there you've never even tried.”

His posture changed, and she could sense him worrying. “Do you miss Midgard?”

Darcy bit her lip. Crap. The last thing she wanted to do was make him feel bad about needing her here, but the truth was that she did miss Earth. Plus she had a really bad feeling that the things in her fridge had probably acquired an actual consciousness by this point and might be trying to take over Puente Antiguo. 

“It’s not that I don’t want to be here, because I do. I love being with you,” she assured him. “I’m not from Asgard, though. So, yeah, of course I miss my own world. And… Not to be clingy or anything, but I sort of miss when it was just us in the hunting lodge too. _This_ helps. You know, when I get to be myself with you. I just wish we had more of it.”

“Darcy, there is nothing wrong with missing your home, or wanting to spend more time alone together. Would you like to return for a few days?” Loki inquired. “I promised my mother that I would visit Thor to ensure he was managing on Midgard. I had intended to ask you to accompany me, but with the constant demands on my attention lately, it slipped my mind.”

“Are you kidding? Yes! I’d love that. But if you’re there, who’s going to be in charge here?”

He turned, amusement flickering in the depths of his eyes. “Well, I thought perhaps I would allow the Queen of Asgard to rule as acting regent in my stead. Unless you had some sort of objection to that?”

Darcy smacked his arm. “Shut up, smartass.”

“Why don’t you make me, mortal?” he replied with a sudden return of his usual mischievous sparkle.

“Oh, I totally will,” she threatened.

There was a beat, and then Loki asked, “Just out of curiosity, will that be today? Or shall I put it on the schedule for a later date?”

“That's it,” Darcy said. “Prepare yourself, God of Mischief. I’m about to make out with you so hard that you forget what realm you’re on.”

She dove at him, and within seconds they were in the middle of a very satisfying wrestling match on the top of the table. Loki was pinned to the table with her giggling on top of him when there was a knock at the door. He scrubbed his hands over his face with a groan. 

“What is it?” he called irritably through the door.

“Ambassador Olinsdöttir has requested to speak with you again, Your Majesty,” one of the guards shouted back. 

Loki gave her an apologetic frown. “Forgive me, but I must speak with the Ambassador.”

“It’s okay.” She began straightening her gown as they both stood up. “I know how important this is.”

He flicked his fingers at the armor and it disappeared in a green haze only to reappear on his body. Then he touched her face, restoring the glamour.

“If I can resolve this tonight, we shall leave for Midgard in the morning,” Loki told her.

“Can we sleep over at my apartment?” she asked hopefully.

“Of course,” he said, and then smirked. “Although if you expect to spend the night sleeping, Darcy, you are severely underestimating my intentions.”

She grinned at him. “I’m going to introduce you to ice cream sundaes. It will be a whole new level of corruption for us.”

“How could I say no to that?” Loki replied. 

“You can’t. Which is why I suggested it. I totally know what makes you tick, Mischief. Corruption via inventive sexytimes is high on the list,” Darcy said.

He leaned down, using two fingers under her chin to angle her face upwards until they were nose to nose. “It is almost frightening, how well you know me.”

“That’s what you get for picking up a stray Midgardian in the middle of woods, bringing her home, and making her fall in love with you. You’ll just have to deal with it.”

“Is that any way to talk to the King of Asgard?” Loki said, shaking his head. “Truly, I do not know why I put up with such an impertinent woman.”

“Clearly I need training,” Darcy replied, trying to maintain a straight face. “Or punishment. Wanna spank me?”

Well, _that_ little suggestion hit home. He stepped forward, forcing her to back up until she felt the door behind her.

“Pay attention, Midgardian. I expect you to remember this next time,” he ordered.

“Do you have any idea how hot it is when you get all bossy like this?” Darcy asked. “We are so totally playing King Loki and the sassy serving girl later.”

She noted that he was fighting a smile now too. It was kind of adorable. His green eyes were going all crinkly at the sides in that way that made her knees weak.

“Darcy?”

“Yeah?”

“My title, I wish to hear it.”

“Oh, right,” she wound her arms around his neck. “Sorry, _Your Majesty_ , I’ll try to be more respectful in the future. Especially if you spank me. You heard that suggestion, right? I’m not sure you did, so I thought I’d repeat it.”

“Had I more time, ridiculous mortal girl, you would already be laid out across my lap. However, since I do not...”

Loki ducked his head, warm gaze meeting hers just before their lips touched. He kept her face cupped in his hands, tilting it so that she wasn’t bumped with his helmet. That small gesture was enough to set loose the smile she’d been holding back, and she could feel one stretch across his lips as well when he felt it

“Dýrmætur stúlka, þú ert mjög hjarta mér,” he said afterwards.

“You know I don’t understand that, right?” she replied, hugging him tightly. “It sounds pretty, though.”

“I will translate it for you later when I have you in my bed,” Loki promised. 

Darcy stretched up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Okay. Let me know when you’re all done here.”

“Of course,” he said, opening the door for her. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she replied with a wink, skirting by the small contingency of nobles assembled outside. 

It was a gorgeous day, and Darcy decided to spend the rest of the day outdoors. She was on her way to the gardens, when she caught a glimpse of Sif disappearing through a tall archway that led out onto one of the balconies. 

“Hey Sif,” she yelled, picking up her skirts to chase after her. “Wait!”

She was out of breath by the time she caught up with her, and Sif laughed. 

“Shut up,” Darcy grumbled. “It’s not my fault that you’ve been impossible to track down lately. I didn’t want to lose you again.”

“You were in no danger of losing me,” Sif replied. “The entire palace heard you shouting my name.”

“Yeah, but I think you’ve been avoiding me. Have you?” she asked, squinting a little from the bright, afternoon sunshine.

The other girl seemed slightly embarrassed by the question. “It is not that I was avoiding you, Darcy…”

“But you’re mad at Loki right now, and that makes things weird for us?” Darcy finished for her.

“I suppose you could say that,” Sif admitted. “To express anger at the King is not exactly wise, and I did not want it to damage our friendship.”

“It won’t,” she said. “Trust me, I get why you’re upset. If Loki had been banished to another realm and Thor had the power to bring him back, but wouldn’t do it, I’d probably be furious. Unless Thor had a really good reason, and even then I wouldn’t like it.”

“And you believe Loki has good reason to uphold Thor’s banishment.” Sif pressed her lips together. “I am not sure I share your sentiments.” 

“Have you really thought about it, though? I mean, other than the fact that you miss Thor and you think his punishment was harsh, have you actually thought about why Loki can’t bring him back? If Odin was awake and had denied bringing Thor back, would you still be this angry? Or what if Frigga had said no? I think maybe you’re being a little bit unfair,” Darcy said. “Loki wasn’t the one who banished Thor, you know. If it wasn’t for Laufey still threatening war, I think he’d bring him back regardless of his father’s wishes.”

“I would like to think that is true, Darcy, but there has always been this thread of jealousy between Loki and Thor. I know you have strong feelings for him. Perhaps they are clouding your perception of what he may be capable of.”

“And I think your feelings for Thor are keeping you from seeing that his actions put all of Asgard in danger,” she replied in frustration. “You would all have died in Jötunheim if his father hadn’t stepped in. How many Jötunns were killed? They were just going about their day when Thor showed up looking for a fight. Can you really justify that?”

Sif glared stonily at the ground and refused to answer.

“Look,” Darcy continued in a softer tone, “regardless of how I feel about Loki, I’m not an idiot who is going to blindly follow someone if they’re doing the wrong thing. Right now he’s trying to schedule a meeting with Laufey in an attempt to avert war. Can you imagine how quickly that would fall apart if he reversed his brother’s punishment? And just so you know, he’s going to see Thor too. So it’s not like Loki is just pretending his brother doesn’t exist. He wants to make sure Thor is alright.”

Her surprised eyes snapped up to meet Darcy’s. “He is going to Midgard? When?”

“Tomorrow hopefully. Things are still up in the air right now because of the Frost Giant situation.”

“Is he truly worried about Thor?”

Darcy nodded. “Yeah. He is. I know I said this before, but Loki was there when Thor was banished. He tried to reason with his father, and Odin wouldn’t hear it. I know you want a villain to blame things on right now, but it isn’t Loki. If you don’t believe me, ask Queen Frigga.”

“Ask me what?” a new voice chimed in, and both girls turned to find the Queen stepping out onto the balcony to join them.

“Hi! You’re out and about! That’s awesome,” Darcy exclaimed happily before realizing how informal she was being. 

Frigga just smiled. “I saw my son could use some help, and decided to resume my duties. Forgive me if I have interrupted. I heard my name as I was passing, and as I am impossibly meddlesome, I decided to investigate. Hello, Sif, how are you my dear?”

“I am well, Your Majesty,” she said. “Is there any change in the Allfather’s condition?”

“It remains the same,” Loki’s mother said, “but there is always hope. I spent some time with him earlier. His presence is still strong even though he is resting, and it a great comfort to me.”

“I am sure it is,” Sif said. “This must be very difficult for you.”

“It is far more difficult for Loki,” Frigga replied. “He has lost his father and brother in one day, and is now shouldering the burdens of an entire kingdom.”

Darcy could hear the gentle chastisement in Frigga’s words, and wondered exactly how much she’d overheard. Knowing Loki’s mother, she was probably well aware of the way Sif and the Warriors Three had behaved when they returned a few days earlier. Also knowing Frigga, she already had a plan to make things right.

Sif lowered her head respectfully. “Of course. Those who think differently have perhaps been too hasty in their judgement of the King.”

“My dear Sif,” Frigga said, laying a motherly hand on her shoulder, “there is no shame in admitting you were wrong. Both of my sons require your friendship and loyalty right now. Can I count on that?”

“Yes, of course. My loyalty is to Asgard and the royal family as it always has been.”

Loki’s mother seemed satisfied. She gave Sif’s shoulder a squeeze. “Thank you. I am glad to hear it.” Then she turned to Darcy. “I hear you had a meeting with His Majesty earlier. Tell me, how does he seem?”

A vision of Loki lying flat on the table underneath her popped into Darcy’s head, and she could feel herself coloring from her hairline to her toes. “Um, he’s good. A little tired. He sent a raven to Laufey to arrange a meeting.”

“Did he?” Frigga asked with great interest. “Do you know where they intend to conduct this meeting?”

“Vanaheim,” she answered. 

“Neutral ground,” the Queen guessed. “It is a wise move. Has the Ambassador from Vanaheim given approval?”

Darcy shook her head. “No. And Laufey hasn’t answered yet either. He’s really cagey, but then again, it’s kind of understandable.”

Sif seemed shocked that Darcy would say anything in defense of Laufey, but Frigga merely nodded.

“He has very little trust for us, nor should he. Relations between our two realms have always been fraught with uncertainty and violence. I would hope that would change if Loki is able to secure further peace.”

“If there is animosity between us and Jötunheim, surely that is the fault of the Frost Giants,” Sif insisted. “They are vile creatures, bent on the destruction and subjugation of the other realms.”

Darcy immediately bristled. “They aren’t vile, or creatures,” she said hotly. “That’s the sort of narrow-mindedness and bigotry that is causing all the problems to begin with.”

“Have you forgotten why there was a war with them in the first place?” Sif retorted. “They were overrunning the other realms. Midgard was practically decimated before the Allfather stepped in and stopped them.”

“Why did he wait so long to step in then? Wasn’t Midgard considered worth saving?” Darcy replied.

“The truth is we could all benefit from seeing each other in a different light,” Frigga interrupted mildly. “The attitude we have towards Midgard is just as wrong as the one we have towards Jötunheim. Indeed, the Æsir and Vanir have done their own share of invasion, and oppression. We are not blameless, no matter how much we wish to see it that way. It was not so long ago that Asgard considered Vanaheim an enemy.”

It looked like Sif was trying to swallow her argument and having a hard time with it. Darcy wondered if she’d ever considered any other point of view besides the one that elevated Asgardians before. Probably not. 

“I don’t want to fight,” she said to Sif. “All I wanted to say was that maybe the Frost Giants aren’t the bad guys you think they are. They made mistakes, but it’s been a thousand years since those mistakes.”

“And the attempt to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters?” Sif asked. “That was not a thousand years ago, Darcy. It has been but a few weeks since they came here thieving.”

Darcy sighed. She still felt like that was her fault. Of course, she couldn’t tell Sif that.

“Yeah, I know, but just imagine if the situation was reversed. If the Jötunns had Asgard’s most powerful weapon, wouldn’t you want to steal it back?”

“Well, yes…but,” Sif sputtered. 

“There you go. That’s my whole point. You aren’t as different as you think. If you really want peace with Jötunheim, maybe Asgardians need to stop seeing them as the enemy,” she said quietly.

“Well said, Darcy,” Frigga declared. “Perhaps one day you may be an ambassador yourself. You certainly have quite a grasp on diplomacy.”

“Makes you wonder why I’m six credits short, right?” Darcy joked, and then slammed her mouth shut. Goddamn it.

Sif stared at her, brows knitting in confusion. “Six credits short? Short of what? What do credits have to do with your stature?”

“I believe Darcy was referring to something we spoke of previously. It is of little matter,” Frigga said. “Just a jest regarding her size.”

The other girl didn’t look fully convinced, but she dropped it anyway, much to Darcy’s relief.

“I was on my way outside when I saw you Sif, but if you want, I’d totally like to hit the practice field with you,” she offered, changing the subject. “My armor is starting to get rusty from disuse.”

“You mean that your bruises have finally healed, and you are ready for some fresh ones,” Sif replied.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I think you’re conveniently forgetting that I knocked you on your ass last time.”

“Ah yes. Was that after the fourth or fifth time I knocked you on yours?”

“Ladies, ladies,” Frigga chided, “what sort of behavior is this? I am appalled. Furthermore, you have not even invited me.” She smiled at them.

“Would you like to join us, Queen Frigga?” Darcy asked politely. 

“Yes,” she said. “And it was after the fifth time. I counted.”

“Yeah well, that’s not happening again,” Darcy replied. 

She was right. Sif didn’t hit the dirt until after the sixth, but it went a long way to repair any strain in their friendship. Darcy decided that was totally worth the bruises. Besides, Loki could fix them. As she was brushing herself off, she looked up at a window high over the practice field and saw him behind the glass.

_What are you doing up there, Mischief?_ she telegraphed to his cuff.

It took a second for his reply to blaze across hers. _I am watching my Valkyrie._

She swiped her thumb over his words, and sent back, _You could see her better from down here._

_I could also see her better from the bath I have drawn for her,_ Loki responded.

Darcy grinned, and waved her shield at him. _I'll be right up._


	36. The Cold Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adversaries everywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I've been working on this chapter for a week. Trying to find free time lately has been a nightmare. (Plus I'm sick again, and we not even going to get into the unfairness of that, because I will start breaking stuff.) Also, please forgive any typos. I edited it before posting like I always do, but I'm on enough sudafed to fell a bilgesnipe. 
> 
> Anyway, in other news, we are nearing the end of this story. I know I always say that, and then end up with ten more chapters, but it is probably going to wrap up in the next couple of weeks. So... I'm thinking of doing another. Who's in? I'm thinking soulmate AU. Mostly because I've had this outline of one forever now, and I have a weakness for them. Lemme know what you think. :D As always, I love prompts. Prompt me here, or email, or on tumblr. I'd love to do some fun oneshots for people who want them.
> 
> **********************************************************************

Lady Ærndís had been biding her time, waiting for the right moment to approach Sif with her information regarding their new King and his plaything. It wasn’t easy to catch the warrioress on her own, but she thought she’d finally found her opening when she saw her entering one of the first floor balconies. Unfortunately, the deceiving Midgardian girl had gotten to her first. 

The heated sounds of an argument carried back inside from the balcony. Curious, Ærndís approached to listen. It seemed like Darcy was trying to convince Sif that the Jötunns were not the monsters everyone in Asgard knew them to be. Had Ærndís any lingering doubts that Loki was in league with the Frost Giants, they were certainly dispelled now. 

Feeling as if she needed to unmask Darcy for what she was, Ærndís started towards the archway leading outside. She was brought up short by the Queen suddenly appearing. Unable to warn Sif with Queen Frigga present, she returned to her rooms in frustration. 

Her plan to convince Sif and the Warriors Three to bring Thor back was falling apart. All was made worse by the fact that the Queen was aware of what Loki was, and still supported his rule of Asgard. It was so very troubling. She had always been loyal to her Queen, but allowing a Frost Giant to rule on the throne was nothing short of treason. 

Ærndís paced the length of her sitting room, finally coming to a halt at her windows. Her lips curled into a sneer at the sight of Darcy in her ludicrous armor deep in practice combat with the Queen herself. The two fell back for a moment, and servants rushed forward with goblets of water to refresh them.

Darcy pulled her helmet off and drank while laughing and jesting with members of the crowd. In the midst of all this, her attention was caught by something else. The girl paused in her retorts to the good-natured heckling, and smiled up at a spot somewhere above Ærndís. It almost appeared that she was communicating with someone. Moments later, she took her leave of Queen Frigga and Sif, and was swallowed up by the crowd as she headed back towards the palace. 

It was obvious where the mortal tart was going. Ærndís burned with anger. How was it that no one saw through the facade but her? There had to be another way to expose the girl and Loki for what they were. Going to the Queen was an impossibility, and now it seemed Sif was aligning her loyalties with Darcy as well. 

For the time being she would just have to continue to plan in secret. An opportunity would present itself, and she would just have to be ready to take it. Even if it meant acting on her own.

***********************************************

The walk back to her rooms was hell on Darcy’s sore muscles. You’d think a realm that had flying boats and a rainbow bridge that could send you anywhere you wanted in the universe would have elevators too, but apparently not. It made no sense.

She stumped up the stairwells in her heavy armor, carting her helmet in one hand and her sword in the other. After what seemed like forever, she made it to the corridor her rooms were on. With a sigh of relief she pushed open her door.

Loki glanced over at her from where he was lounging against the wall by her fireplace and smirked. “Hello, Valkyrie.”

“Hello, God of Mischief,” she replied.

“Are you ready for your bath?”

She dropped her helmet and sword, and he made them vanish before they hit the floor. 

“You gonna join me?”

“Is that an invitation?” Loki flicked his fingers lazily, and the rest of her armor disappeared. 

“Nope,” Darcy said, strolling past him on her way to the bathing room. She stopped in the doorway, turned around and crooked her finger. “But this is.”

By the time she turned around again, he was already in the water.

**Several very naughty hours later…**

The sound of harsh cawing startled Darcy awake. Loki was already stirring next to her, pushing the covers back, and slipping out of the bed. He crossed to her balcony, still undressed, and opened the door a sliver. A black shadow sailed into the room, dipping and weaving before coming to rest on the mantle.

“It’s the raven I sent to Laufey,” he informed her.

She immediately sat up, tucking the blankets around her chest. “Did he reply?”

Several tiny glowing spheres appeared, bobbing in the air. Darcy could now see the tiny silver tube attached to the Raven’s leg. Loki carefully removed a rolled up strip of paper from inside and unwound it. She watched his face as he read, and knew it was bad news even before he spoke.

“Laufey has refused the meeting on Vanaheim,” Loki said, eyes scanning further down the page.

She felt a surge of disappointment for him. He’d worked so hard to secure that meeting. “He doesn’t want to talk things over at all?” 

“No,” he replied, frowning. “He does. But…” He trailed off, shaking his head. 

“What is it?” Darcy swung her legs over the side of the bed to get up, and he held up a hand to stop her. 

“Do not trouble yourself. I will return shortly.” Green haze surrounded his body, leaving him dressed in a toned down version of his armor sans helmet. 

“Um, no. I think I will trouble myself. Where the hell are you going?” She climbed out of bed, worried that he might just teleport without explaining further.

He glanced once more at the letter before distractedly handing it to her. Darcy made a face. 

“It’s in runic,” she said. “You know I can’t read this.”

Loki waved his hand over the letter in an impatient gesture, and the ink squirmed and reconfigured until it was in English. She read quickly, jaw dropping as she got towards the bottom. 

“Now you see where I am going,” he said. 

“No. Absolutely not,” Darcy replied. “There’s no way I’m letting you walk into Jötunheim alone and unarmed. That’s a suicide mission.”

“It is either this, or he declares war on Asgard. Which would you prefer?” Loki retorted sharply, Then he took a breath, exhaling slowly before speaking again. “I am sorry. Darcy, please, try to understand. The fault in this is all mine. I showed them the way in Asgard. Had they not come here during Thor’s coronation we would not be in this situation now.”

“Actually, it was my fault,” she argued. “You were only protecting me, and if I’d paid attention to you when you said how dangerous it was in the first place, we wouldn’t have been making snow angels when we should have been getting the hell out of there. And that’s why I’m going with you.”

He barked out a laugh of disbelief. “Have you gone mad?”

“You take me, or I go straight to your mother and tell her what’s up,” Darcy said, folding her arms across her chest.

“You do realize I could simply confine you to this room until I return,” Loki pointed out. “That would render your threat rather empty.”

Darcy saw red. In fact, she saw about twenty shades of it. She moved until she was right up in his face, or as much as she could get up in his face with him being almost a foot taller. 

“Really? You’re going to lock me up again? What the actual fuck, Loki, I’m not some pet that you can just put in a cage when it suits you!”

“No,” he shouted back, “you aren’t my pet! You’re the woman I love, and I not going to endanger your life by trotting you out to Jötunheim with me when I’m not even sure I’ll survive the outcome!”

They stood there, both panting and furious. He’d gone all white around the lips with anger, and his eyes were positively blazing. She was having none of it.

“Don’t you get it?” Darcy snapped. “That’s why I have to go. What happens if you don’t come back? What if I’m just sitting here, waiting, and you never come back to me?” 

He spun around and swept everything off the mantle onto the floor. Glass and trinkets smashed, splintering everywhere, and the poor Raven took off in fright. Then Loki slammed his fist down onto the stone surface. Darcy took a quick step backwards, moving away from the debris littering the stones.

And Loki. Because he was being terrifying at the moment. She blinked, trying hard to keep the tears that were starting to threaten under control. 

“Loki,” she said quietly, looking at the tense line of his back and shoulders, “please don’t put me in the position of losing you and never knowing what really happened. What if I did that to you? How would you feel?”

His face was in profile, and she could see him close his eyes as she spoke. He answered without turning around, and it was far from what she was expecting. “I said something to you earlier, and you asked me what it was. Do you still wish to know?”

It took her a second to remember what Loki was referring to. Their meeting in the antechamber seemed like years away at the moment. She couldn’t believe it was only hours.

“Yeah, I do,” Darcy said. “If you still want to tell me.”

Loki nodded slowly, and then turned around. “I said, ‘Precious girl, you are the very heart of me.’ Do you see now why I cannot bear the thought of putting you in danger like that? I am barely holding on, Darcy, and you are the thread I am holding onto.”

He looked completely shattered. She wanted desperately to get him, and she couldn’t because of all the broken porcelain and pottery on the floor. The whole argument had left her feeling torn up and broken as well.

“I hate fighting,” she finally said, swiping her under her eyes with one hand. 

“Then do not fight me on this,” Loki pleaded with her. “Allow me to go into Jötunheim with the knowledge that you are safe, and that I haven’t bought that safety with your enmity.”

“I need to know you’re okay. I need to know what’s going on every second. Can you do that?”

“Anything,” he promised. “In truth, I would rather have your voice with me than be entirely alone.”

“Okay,” Darcy said. “Okay, but if you fucking die in Jötunheim, just know I will fight my way into Valhalla to bring you back.”

Affection and relief flooded Loki’s features. He strode over to where she was, glass crunching under his boots and snagged her around the waist with one long arm. “Come here, Valkyrie, I want to leave with the taste of you still on my lips.”

“Goddammit, Loki, stop being so dramatic. It’s scaring me,” she replied, but she kissed him anyway.

It wasn’t until she felt the cool metal of his armor against her skin that she realized they’d had their entire argument with her completely nude. Oh well. Darcy was sure it probably wouldn’t be the last time. 

“You make it very difficult for me to depart,” he said, apparently noticing too.

“So leave me a double,” Darcy responded. “That way it will be like part of you is still here.”

“You would rather that than the cuffs?” Loki asked, and she nodded. He made a gesture behind her back, and she could see the shimmer of his magic out of the corner of her eye as the double formed.

She reluctantly stepped out of the circle of his arms. He pressed his lips together, eyes flaring with determination before giving a quick nod to the double. “You will know of everything that transpires, and I will be able to hear your voice and see your face. Will you be alright with that?” 

The double pulled the coverlet off the the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders, cocooning her in warmth. 

“Yeah,” Darcy said, forcing a brave smile onto her face, “but if you’re not back here by dawn, I’m telling your mother and the Einherjar.”

“Then I will find a way to return before dawn,” he said. “Until then.”

It hurt to watch him teleport out of the room. The outcome was way too uncertain. His double rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

“I am still here,” he told her. 

“I know.”

“Tell me what will help.”

Darcy turned to face him. “Start talking. Tell me everything.”

“Perhaps I can do better than that,” Loki said through the double, and a small glass orb appeared in his hand. It was similar to the ones he used as lights, but larger. A bright, golden glow swirled inside it briefly. Once it dissipated, she could see a small, upside down figure moving inside. Darcy reached for it, and the double placed it in her hands, before leading her back to the bed.

“You’re the wrong way up,” she said, squinting into the ball at the tiny figure of Loki walking on what looked like the ceiling of a cave.

“Turn it over,” the double suggested, lips twitching.

She flipped it, and the scene righted itself. Now she could see that Loki was walking through the secret cavern passageway into Jötunheim. “I saw you roll your eyes at me, Mischief,” Darcy informed him.

“Just as I can see you scowling at me,” he countered. “You are lovely even in your irritation.”

“Stop flirting with me through a magic snow globe.” She blew an errant strand of hair off her face in annoyance. “I need you to concentrate on being safe.”

Loki had come out on the other side of the cavern by now, and the glowing sphere in her hand looked more like a snow globe than ever. She could see the barren, shadowy landscape covered in snowfall, and flakes whizzing past him in the air. 

Despite his straight posture and steady gait, he was looking around apprehensively as he walked. Darcy leaned into the double, well aware that Loki could see and sense everything it did.

“I’m right here with you,” she said. “Watch out for that patch of ice.”

He neatly sidestepped it. “Are you looking out for me all the way from Asgard?”

“You know it. Somebody has to take care of you. Is that where you’re going?”

“Yes.”

Darcy peered into the glass, heart beating quicker as the huge, roughly carved pinnacles of a temple rose into view. Loki had to go in there. Alone. She reached beside her blindly, and the double caught her hand, fingers folding around hers

“Your hand is cold,” he said. 

“I’m scared for you. Is there a way that I can hear what Laufey says too?” she asked. “I want to hear it.”

For a moment his brow furrowed in concentration, and then she could hear the sound of wind keening through the the tall rock and ice structures just outside the temple. It was muted, but definitely audible. Darcy couldn’t decide if it was coming from the the globe in her hand or just in the air around her, but that didn’t matter as much as the fact that she could listen to what was said.

“How is that?” Loki asked, the double remaining silent this time.

“Perfect.”

He took a deep breath and crossed the threshold of the temple. The interior was shrouded in darkness. Darcy struggled to see what was going on inside the little crystal ball. Small patches of light made there way in through scattered openings in the ceiling, and she could just make out huge guards towering over Loki as he moved further inside.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you,” a deep, rumbling voice asked.

A slight flash of movement caught Darcy’s eye, and she saw what she assumed was Laufey sitting on a large throne made of ice. Loki held both his arms out in a gesture of peace.

“Because I have come alone and unarmed as you requested,” he said.

The Frost Giant rose up, and cleared the few short steps down onto the floor. “My men are dead, and I have no Casket. You are a deceiver.”

“I did not promise the Casket, Laufey. I merely showed you how to enter Asgard undetected. What happened once you were there was not under my control.”

“And the retribution carried out by your brother? Was that also not under your control?”

Darcy shivered as Laufey’s eyes narrowed dangerously. The other Jötunns shifted away from the walls, coming closer to where Loki stood.

“Thor acted impulsively,” Loki told him. “He has been punished.”

“Impulsively?” Laufey lashed out without warning, grabbing Loki around the throat. “You marched with him upon my realm, and murdered my warriors. You believe being banished was punishment enough? Is that what you will tell their wives and children?”

She flinched at the sight of the huge, blue hand covering Loki’s neck, but he calmly stood his ground.

“I am prepared to make reparations for their loss,” he said. “If you will just allow me…”

“No,” Laufey interrupted. “Your life is all I require. Let your family know what it is like to mourn as I have.”

He was doing something, it was obvious by the shimmer of magic surrounding his fingers, but whatever he intended, it clearly wasn’t have the desired effect. Laufey seemed puzzled by Loki’s lack of injury. Then confusion turned into shock as blue coloration flowed over Loki’s skin like water. 

“What trick is this?” the Frost Giant snapped, blood-red eyes widening as the same sigils he bore appeared on Loki’s face.

His son closed his own crimson eyes for a second in what looked to Darcy like resignation. “No trick. It would seem that I favor my father.”

Laufey immediately released him, staring as the blue drained from his face again. “It cannot be. My son was burned by Odin.”

“Your son was taken by Odin and raised in Asgard, Laufey. I was that child.”

The King of Jötunheim reeled. “How? Show me again,” he demanded.

Darcy held her breath, hand shaking so much it was difficult to see what was going on inside the sphere. The double cupped it in both of his to hold it steady for her. The small image of Loki changed back into Jötunn form. 

“I only discovered the truth recently” he admitted. “One of your own guards triggered the change. I believed myself cursed, so I went to where the Casket is stored seeking answers. Touching it caused me to transform again, and my Fath… Odin admitted to taking me. I had no idea before that of who, or what I was. As to how he found me, there seems to be some confusion on that point.”

“There is no confusion,” Laufey said sharply. “Odin extinguished every Jötunn life in this temple that day, including the mother of my son. I found the bodies. My beautiful wife, charred beyond recognition. I only knew her by her jewelry, and the slightness her frame.”

Loki took a nearly imperceptible step towards his father. “She was small?”

“She was the most delicate creature I have ever seen, lithe, and graceful. The Destroyer took her with the rest.” His features twisted with bitterness. “I did not think she could birth my child, but she did. The babe was so tiny, I could hold him cupped in my hands.”

“The Allfather said I was abandoned in the temple because I was small and sickly.”

Laufey shook his head. “Lies. You were brought here for your protection. If you truly are my son, that is.”

“The truth is that I do not know whose son I am anymore,” Loki replied with a harsh laugh. “I have spent my entire life believing myself to be Æsir. Odin raised me as his own.”

“You mean he gave you to Frigga to raise as her own,” the Frost Giant interjected. “Did he even make her aware of who you were, or was she kept ignorant as well?”

Loki hesitated. It was obvious that he was trying to decide the best answer to protect his mother. 

“She knew,” he finally said.

“And yet she said nothing to me when I told her what had happened in the temple that day. She is no better than Odin,” Laufey spat out.

“No.” Loki pulled himself up to his full height. “Say what you will about the Allfather, but she is blameless in this.”

“A thousand years of knowing she raised a stolen child, and you call her blameless?”

“She was told the same story I was. Why would she think you would want an abandoned babe? To her, returning me would have meant my death.”

Laufey’s expression hardened. “Perhaps that is true, but why not tell me when I spoke with her a week ago? What would have been the danger to you in that?”

“She believed it was my right to tell you, not hers,” Loki responded. “I am no longer a child, but a king. Should my mother be speaking for me?”

It was hard to tell whether Laufey accepted that or not. He stopped arguing, but Darcy thought he might have the best poker face she’d ever seen. Except for maybe Loki’s. Total family resemblance there, apparently.

“My son, ruling Asgard instead of Odin’s,” Laufey mused. “It must be quite a blow to him. They say he can see despite his sleeping sickness. I hope it is so.”

“I do rule Asgard,” Loki replied, “and right now you threaten it.”

“You would protect the people that stole you?”

“An entire realm should not be held guilty for the sins of a few men.”

Laufey’s poker face was slowly changing into something crafty, with a cruel edge to it. “Then perhaps we should punish the men who are guilty. You want peace? I want my vengeance. Prove that you are my son, and I will give you the peace you seek.”

“What sort of proof?” Loki inquired carefully. “I do not make bargains before hearing the cost.”

“Odin robbed me of my heir. It seems only fair that he should be robbed of his.”

“I do not understand. Thor is already banished to Midgard.”

Laufey waved his hand dismissively. “It is not enough. Should he redeem himself, Odin’s son will be allowed to return. There will never be peace if he replaces you on the throne.”

“You want me to prevent my brother from ever returning?” Loki shook his head. “That is not what the Allfather decreed.”

“What the Allfather decreed matters little to me,” he scoffed. “End Odin’s line. That is my condition of peace.”

Darcy felt sick. She, lifted the little glass ball higher, trying to make out the expression on Loki’s face.

“Can you lie your way out of this?” she whispered to the double.

“I see no other choice,” he replied softly. “My brother’s life is not a price I am willing to pay.”

“Is there more?” the Loki in sphere asked Laufey.

“The Casket of Ancient Winters. I want it returned to Jötunheim. You have my word that I will never use it on Asgard as long as you rule.”

“What of the other realms?” Loki questioned him. “Will they be safe?”

A twisted smile crawled across Laufey’s face. “You want to know if your Midgardian will be in danger,” he guessed. “Do not look so surprised. Her scent is all over you.”

“Do you disapprove?” Loki asked his father, steely thread in his voice.

Laufey shrugged. “The Æsir sit in judgement over who is worthy of them, not the Jötunns. Choose whatever woman you wish. This mortal will be dust soon enough and you will find another.” He paused, eyeing Loki thoughtfully. “You have my terms. Do you accept?”

There was a beat, and then Loki said, “I accept.”

The King of Jötunheim stared at him for a long moment. “Perhaps you are my son after all. I would like to believe that.” He turned to the guards. “No one is to touch him. He has been granted safe passage back to Asgard.”

A relieved breath whooshed out of Darcy. “Come home, Mischief.”

The double snapped his head up, fixing her with an enigmatic gaze.

“What?” she asked, not wanting to take her eyes off of Loki’s progress back to the passageway.

“Nothing, my Valkyrie,” he replied, features softening with a tender smile that she didn’t see. “I will be home with you soon.”


	37. One Small Step for a Mouse...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor inadvertently solves a huge problem for Jane, and a joke turns into a much larger discussion for Loki and Darcy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I think maybe I'm going to end up doing two-three chapters a week now for the duration of the story. The reason for this is that the chapters are getting longer and more involved, and I want to take a few days to write them and get them the way I want them. Also, the holidays are coming up, and I've got a bunch of gifts to make/buy. (Yep, I'm totally one of those crafty people with sewing machines, and vats of glitter hanging around. Right now I'm working on sets of Tasertricks and DW peg dolls.)
> 
> In happy news, I am no longer sick!  To celebrate, I'm taking my daughter out to lunch and we are going to eat all the green curry ever.
> 
> ***********************************************

Thor sat in the small lab which had been allocated to his new friends and stared numbly at the wall. They had returned from the crash site two days prior, and he was still reeling from the results. He could not lift Mjölnir. He was unworthy. Unworthy. _Him_. It was surreal.

The very moment his fingers closed around the handle he knew something was wrong. There was no answering hum of recognition and power from his hammer. It was as if it were dead.

He had been so sure that finding Mjölnir was the task the Allfather had assigned to him to prove his worth. It had never occurred to him that he would not be able to lift it. Thor leaned back in the small chair and closed his eyes, scrubbing his hands over his face. How had he fallen so far?

“I brought you coffee,” Jane announced tentatively. “And a danish. I don’t think you’ve eaten yet today.”

Her lips compressed sympathetically as she held the proffered food out to him. At first he wanted to refuse, but the Midgardian woman had done nothing to deserve his rudeness, so he took the food and drink and set them next to him on the table.

“Thank you, Jane Foster,” he said politely. “You are very kind.”

“Oh,” she replied with a small, nervous smile, “it’s nothing. I just thought maybe you were hungry, and I was getting myself a coffee anyway. Please don’t hold me responsible for the danish, though, it’s from a vending machine. Best I could do since they aren’t serving breakfast anymore. You should eat, though. Darcy always tells me that an empty stomach never solves anything, and even if you can’t figure it out, at least you won’t be hungry.”

She looked so concerned that he forced himself to open the crinkly packet and take a bite. Much to his surprise, he found his features sliding into an expression of appreciation. It was quite palatable.

“Please give my thanks to creator of this pastry...” Thor turned the packet over and read it. “...Baker Cloverhill.”

Jane looked at him strangely. “Um, sure. I’ll see what I can do. Anyway, you had asked to see the Einstein-Rosen Bridge device. Did you still want to take a look at it?”

A glimmer of excitement shone in her eyes. It was obvious that she took a great deal of pride in her invention. Thor stood up, wrapping his free hand around the mug of coffee.

“Indeed. I am most interested. Please.” He nodded to indicate that she go ahead.

She rushed to the other side of the lab, where something about the size of a small dog was covered in a simple grey sheet. Jane swiftly uncovered the device and moved to the middle of the floor, unfolding the legs and setting upright. 

“There she is,” she said proudly. 

Thor stared at the metal orb sitting atop its spindly legs in disbelief. For all the world it looked like a miniature version of Heimdall’s observatory. Not as elegant, or picturesque, but the shape was unmistakable. She and Anthony Stark had called it a bridge. Could it be that Midgardians were advanced enough to create their own Bifröst? The thought was worrying to say the least.

“How does it work?” he inquired, setting both coffee and danish down so he could better inspect her invention.

“That’s actually sort of the problem,” Jane responded. “I’ve only gotten it to work once, and I have no idea why. But um, basically you flip the top up, and insert this key here…”

She demonstrated as she spoke, and Thor became even more apprehensive when he saw the interior. The ‘key’ was a thin, tapered piece of gold metal that fit into a raised column inside. Once it was seated in the base, the device began to buzz with energy.

“Okay, so that part works right,” she was saying, as she snapped the lid shut again, “but for some reason, it won’t seem to complete the cycle correctly. Watch.” Jane picked up a small remote and pressed a button.

The top of the sphere began to spin, and the triangular spike on top slowly opened like a tulip as the speed of the sphere increased. It also became exponentially more noisy. The sound was alarmingly familiar to him.

Jane squinted as a bright beam of light shot out of the top. “See?” she shouted. “So far it’s doing what it’s supposed to, but just wait.”

The single beam of light opened up into a much wider stream, spilling down and encapsulating the entire device in a bright, warbling aurora of flickering colors. Thor’s mouth went dry. It _was_ a Bifröst. 

“You said this is what carried Darcy into Asgard?” he yelled.

“Yeah. It was a complete accident. Erik and I had no idea where she’d gone for weeks. I was scared to death that she’d been vaporized or something. That was the only time it worked, though. Here…” 

She plucked a pencil out of her pocket and tossed it into the stream. Nothing happened. Two paperclips and a balled up scrap over paper followed with no result. After a few seconds, she pressed another button on the remote, and the device began to power down.

“There you go. That’s about it,” Jane said with a shrug. “It hasn’t transported anything since Darcy.”

Thor waited until the spinning had stopped entirely, and then crouched down so he could examine the contraption. She flipped the lid up for him, and pulled the key free of the base. 

“Was it able to work before Darcy entered the beam?” Thor asked.

Jane frowned. “No. That’s the really strange thing. We tried all sorts of things in the transport beam, but they just sat there.”

“Was she…” He paused for a moment, clearing his his throat. “Was Darcy the only living being that was placed inside the beam?”

“Yes,” she replied, eyes widening. Thor watched warily as she made the connection. “Oh. My. God. That’s it, isn’t it? There’s nothing wrong with my Einstein-Rosen Bridge. We’ve just been using inanimate objects, and it needs live ones.”

It almost seemed as if she were speaking to herself rather than to him. He could tell that she was considering the implications of what she’d just discovered. That fact alone made him incredibly uneasy.

Mortals with a Bifröst. His father would never allow it. Thor should not allow it either. Unfortunately, it may be his only chance of getting home, and getting home was imperative at the moment. He was certain that if he could speak with the Allfather, he could explain why he had felt compelled to enter Jötunheim, and he would be forgiven. His father had been angry, but that anger had surely lessened by now. After all, the Jötunns had always been enemies of Asgard. Thor was not to blame for thousands of years of hostility.

Jane was still focused on her machine. She suddenly seemed to come to herself, straightening up and heading for the door.

“I’ll be right back,” she told him. “Don’t go anywhere...and don’t turn it on or anything.”

He waited the five minutes it took her to return. Most of it was spent deep in thought. Perhaps if he was able to warn his father of the Midgardian threat once he returned, Odin would be inclined to return his powers. In the very least it would show Thor as a loyal son who put Asgard first. That couldn’t hurt.

Dr. Foster breezed back in the room with an oddly shaped cardboard box. “Here, hold this.” She pushed the box into his hands absently.

“What is in it?” Thor asked, puzzled by the scratching sounds coming from within.

She glanced up from where she was starting to power up the miniature Bifröst and grinned at him. “Mice. I got them from the lab down the hall. They’re going to be our first volunteers. Well...technically Darcy was our first volunteer, but she didn’t exactly know that at the time, so she doesn’t count.”

The device began to hum, and Jane snapped it closed. She stepped back and switched it on with the remote. The light sequence began just as it had before. Once the beam was encompassing the entire machine, she held her hand out to him. “Mouse.”

Thor managed to capture one of the tiny, wriggling creatures in his large fingers, and passed it over to her. Jane edged over towards the beam of light, arm outstretched with the mouse dangling from her hand. Just as she was about to set it down, she stopped.

“You have mice in Asgard, right? I’m not going to be upsetting Asgard’s entire ecosystem or anything, am I?” Jane asked. “Because we have other options. They’ve got crickets, rabbits...a few small reptiles….”

“We have mice, Jane Foster,” Thor assured her. “You will not be upsetting Asgard.”

In truth, he was becoming rather invested in seeing if her experiment worked as well, and was made impatient by the delay. She placed the mouse as close to the beam of light as she could, and flapped her hands at it, encouraging it to walk into the beam.

“That’s right, Mickey,” she coaxed. “Just walk into the transport beam.”

“You have named the mouse?” he called to her curiously over the sound of the device.

“What? Oh…not exactly. It’s like Mickey Mouse,” Jane replied. She then seemed to realize he had no idea what she was talking about and said, “Not that you would know who that is. Nevermind, I’ll explain later.”

They both watched as the mouse nosed closer to the rainbowy glow in front of it. Jane rocked back on her heels, and Thor found himself moving closer. 

“Come on, come on,” she chanted. “You know you want to be the first mouse to travel by Einstein-Rosen Bridge. I promise I’ll give you a good write up in my notes.”

The little animal’s whiskers twitched feverishly. It took a small step forward. A second later, it was sucked straight into the dancing lights. The mouse hovered at the top of the machine for a moment. Then a concentrated beam up light shot straight into the air and the mouse whooshed away inside it. It happened so quickly that Thor flinched, bumping into Jane and knocking her over backwards. She scrambled to her feet just in time to see the beam power down again.

“Oh my God! Did you see that? It worked!” 

A massive smile lit up her entire face. Thor couldn’t help but smile back. He had found a way home.

“It did,” he said warmly. “You are truly a great scientist, Dr. Foster.”

“Oh no,” she said modestly, blushing slightly. “It was really Einstein and Rosen. They had the idea. I just put it into practice. I mean, I’m no Einstein...so...”

Thor shook his head. “I do not know what assistance you received from them, but they are not here. This achievement is yours.”

“Thank you,” Jane replied almost shyly. “We should probably try it again, though. I brought three mice.”

“Try what again?” Tony Stark asked, wandering into the room wearing what appeared to be red and gold armor, and carrying a strange looking helmet under his arm.

“Anthony,” Thor greeted him. “Jane’s machine has worked. Is that not wonderful?”

“Reeeeeally?” Tony said, clearly impressed. “Nice work, Weird Science. Do I get to see a demonstration?”

Thor watched as he pushed a button his armor and it began to unfold itself. It was halfway off when the process stalled out, and Tony smacked the metal over his left thigh in annoyance. Two blows later, and it restarted. He gave a nod of satisfaction.

“Testing a new suit?” Jane asked.

“Yeah. It’s got a few glitches. Flies like a dream, though.” He tapped the small bluetooth headset he was wearing and said, “J.A.R.V.I.S., will you let Ms Potts know I made it in to work in one piece? And if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, could you add a big fat ‘I Told You So’ to that message?” 

The AI’s response was inaudible, but apparently Tony was fine with it, because he clicked the bluetooth off, and folded his arms over his chest. “So, let’s see it.”

Jane eagerly complied, and three of them watched as a second mouse made the journey to what Thor hoped would be Asgard. As soon as it disappeared, Tony gave a low whistle, and began slowly clapping his hands. 

“Not bad, Weird Science. I think this calls for some sort of celebration.” He pulled open a drawer on a nearby filing cabinet, and returned with a bottle of scotch and three small tumblers.

Jane stared at him. “How many things do you have hidden around this room?”

“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” Tony replied as he filled the tumblers and handed them around. He lifted his and saluted her with it. “To Weird Science.”

Thor frowned at him. “To Dr. Foster,” he said, lifting his own glass.

She beamed and said, “Einstein and Rosen.”

The drink was delicious. Tony seemed to notice Thor’s expression of pleasure and immediately said, “Smash that glass, Space Cowboy, and I’ll break out the shoulder rocket.”

The God of Thunder laughed. “You need not fear, Anthony Stark. I have learned my lesson.” He set the glass down on the table behind him, and pulled the third mouse out the box. “Would you like to try it this time?”

Tony promptly put his glass down as well. “Is that even a question? Hand over that mouse.”

****************************************************************************

The trip to Jötunheim had unnerved Loki. He certainly hadn’t planned for Laufey to discover who he was, and had no misconceptions that if he _did_ the reunion would be a joyous one, but it had far exceeded his expectations of how poorly it could have gone.

It was a great relief to return to light, and warmth, and Darcy, who was still delightfully without a stitch on underneath the blankets. The moment she saw him, she flew from the bed and Loki found himself with his arms full of ecstatic, comforting mortal girl. It was all rather glorious. 

“Mmm, you smell like snow,” she mumbled with her face pressed in the crook of his neck. “Goddammit, Mischief, I’m so glad you’re back safe.”

He took the edges of his coat and wrapped them around her, so they were both enclosed in the small space. “It was worth it to be given such a homecoming.”

“I thought for a second there that there might not be one.” Darcy lifted her face up to his. “When he had his hand around your neck, you looked so small. I was scared as hell.” 

“Do I look small now?” Loki asked, smiling down at her. 

“No. You look like sexy Christmas,” Darcy replied, and reached up to ruffle his hair, dislodging a few remaining snowflakes. “All you need to do is add a little red to all this green.”

He made a face. “I would prefer not to. Red has never suited me.”

“And that has nothing to do with the fact that it’s Thor’s favorite color, right?” she pointed out wryly. “Speaking of Thor, what exactly are you going to do about that? I mean, Laufey can’t actually think you’d kill your brother.”

Loki sighed, shoulders slumping. “I have not decided. The best course of action may be convincing him to stay on Midgard, or concealing him elsewhere. Either way, Laufey must believe he is dead. Achieving that would mean having all of Asgard believe the same thing. It will be difficult. The only thing I am sure of, is that my brother cannot return to Asgard until Laufey is no longer a threat.”

“It wasn’t quite the reconciliation you were expecting, was it?” Darcy asked. “With Laufey, I mean. I had hoped he would have been...I don’t know...happy to see you.”

“It is only natural that he would be suspicious of a trick. It has been a thousand years after all. I did not fool myself into believing he would be overjoyed that I had turned up,” he told her.

Her eyes searched his for a second, and then she said, “You’re hurt, though. I can see it. You have no idea how angry that makes me.”

“I will survive the disappointment, Darcy,” Loki replied. “It is not as if I want to live in Jötunheim. I know nothing of being a Jötunn prince.”

“You’re a really amazing Asgardian king, though,” Darcy told him. She laid her hand alongside his cheek, and he turned his face so he could kiss her palm. “For what it’s worth, Loki, I’d feel the same way if you were a Jötunn king, or prince. Or, you know, just a regular human guy.”

“You mean that, don’t you?” he asked, gazing wonderingly at her. 

“You know I do.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Maybe Laufey just needs time. People don’t always react well when they’re surprised. It wasn’t what he was expecting either. You went from being his enemy to his son with no warning.”

Loki shook his head. “I somehow doubt that he would ever fully accept a child who had been raised by Odin. I do not want to be Laufey’s son, Darcy. I do not even know if I want to be the Allfather’s.”

“So be Frigga’s,” Darcy replied. “Be Frigga’s son. I realize everyone around here seems to put a whole lot of importance on who their fathers are, but seriously, you were raised by one incredible woman. I kind of want to be just like her when I grow up.”

“What? Queen of Asgard?” he teased, unable to resist. She had well and truly set herself up for it.

Darcy blinked and then flushed bright crimson. “Loki! You know that’s not what I meant. I was just pointing out how awesome your mom is. It had nothing to do with other stuff. Stop looking at me like that.” 

He cocked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing.

“Oh my God, Loki! Stop!” She ducked her head so he couldn’t see her face. “I hate you.”

“Forgive me if I give no credence to that statement,” Loki asserted, “as just this evening you have referred to Asgard as home, and then made me what sounded like a proposal of marriage. Granted it was somewhat convoluted...”

“Shut. Up.”

“...but nevertheless, I accept.”

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate… Um. What?!” Her head whipped up, and she stared at him in shock.

Loki took one look at her terrified expression and began to laugh. After a few seconds her shock changed into pique, and she folded her arms over her chest with narrowed eyes. 

He grinned at her. “Come to bed, future Queen of Asgard, I wish to get started on an heir.”

“You’re an ass,” Darcy informed him.

“Be that as it may, we are going to Midgard in the morning, and you need your rest. Get in the boat, mortal.”

“It’s a longship,” she said tartly. 

“Said like a true Asgardian Queen,” he responded.

Darcy shot him a final glare and got into the bed. “I can’t believe you,” she grumbled. “For a second I actually thought you were serious.”

“Who said I was not?” Loki asked, sending his clothing into the void and following her into bed. 

“Knock it off, Mischief.”

“I think not. This is far too enjoyable.” 

“Fine, whatever. I’m dissolving the engagement,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. 

“You are terribly inconstant,” he teased, as she rolled over to face him.

“Yeah, I’m the worst,” Darcy said, her breath warm on his face. "All that caring about you, and supporting you...it must be really hard to deal with."

"It is dreadful. I would so much rather be alone and despondent." He skimmed his hand over her bare hip, loving her resultant shiver. “May I ask a question? Do you truly think of Asgard as home?”

She went completely still, and then gently swept the strands of hair that had spilled over his forehead back behind his ear. “I said that, didn’t I?”

“You did.” He tried to read her expression in the dim light, but the shadows were making it difficult.

“I don’t think it’s Asgard, exactly,” she answered. “The thing is, I’ve been on my own for a really long time. So many of my friends drifted away after my parents died. I more or less shut down, and they didn’t know how to handle my grief. Jane is the closest thing to a friend I have right now, and she’s my boss. That complicates things. There’s stuff I can’t share with her, parts of me she’ll never know about, but with you? I let you completely in. That kind of trust is rare for me. Home isn’t always a place. For me it’s where I feel safest, and I feel safest when I’m with you.”

“Darcy,” he replied slowly, hoping he’d fully understood her train of thought, “are you calling me your home?”

“Yeah. I guess I am. Is that weird?”

He shook his head. “I spend my days surrounded by nobles who would rather see my brother on the throne. I was lied to my entire life about who I am, even by the woman I consider my mother. Thor’s friends may be plotting against me, and I do not know who will stand with me if they succeed. There is one person in this entire realm that I fully trust, and she is sharing this bed with me. So, no, Darcy. I find nothing odd in your declaration.”

“Good. Can I ask you something then? I mean...it only seems fair. I answered your question.” 

“Of course.” He noted that this time her expression was easier to make out. She was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth the way she did when something was troubling her. 

“That thing Laufey said, about me being dust. Does it bother you?” Darcy asked. “Me being mortal, I mean.”

Loki wasn’t expecting that to be her question, and he struggled with gathering his thoughts to answer. It was an issue that he had turned over in his mind often in the past few months, but had never been able to settle.

“Nevermind,” she said. “It’s late, and we’re both tired. We can talk about it some other time.”

“No. You deserve an answer.” He took a deep breath, exhaling before he continued. “I am bothered by it, but not for the reason that you may think. The truth, Darcy, is that you only need remain mortal if that is what you choose. There are ways to extend your lifespan to match mine. My worry is that I would offer, and you would say no.”

Her brow furrowed in surprise. “You can do that? Make me like you?”

“Not every immortal being began that way,” he replied gently. “Some of them were mortal once. I have the means to do the same for you at some point, should you wish it.”

“That’s something you’d want?” she asked. 

“If we continue on as we are, then yes, I would want it very much,” Loki said. "I have lived a thousand years, and never felt for anyone what I feel for you. I would never force your hand, but knowing that we could share a life together...it is very tempting to me." 

“Wow,” Darcy said. “That’s really huge.”

“Now you see why I didn’t speak of it before. I was afraid it would frighten you.”

“Yeah. That makes sense. It’s a little scary. Not bad scary, just...a lot to think about.”

She moved closer to him until she was flush with his chest, and tugged on his arm so he slid it around her back. Loki immediately recognized it as a gesture of reassurance, her way of saying that he hadn't scared her off. It was so very Darcy. 

“If the situation was reversed, I would want the same for you. I'd want you with me,” she said quietly. "I wouldn't want to lose you just after I found you. That's what it's like for you, isn't it? My life is like the blink of an eye."

"That is always the risk with giving a mortal your heart. You humans are such a fragile lot." His lips curved in a bittersweet smile. "Whatever you decide, it will remain yours. Very likely until the end of my life, even if you are not with me."

“That thing you said about us going on the way the way we are right now? If that’s what happens, and you ask, I’ll say yes,” she whispered.

“Then that is the only answer I need for now,” he replied. “Get your rest, Valkyrie.”

“You too, Mischief.” She yawned sleepily. “I intend to keep you up tomorrow night.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Me too.”


	38. Girl Talk With a Side of Science

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Jane have a little chat about pretty much everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey gorgeous people!!!! So, here is your chapter. The next one will be Loki's conversation with Thor. It probably won't be up until next week though, because my plans for this weekend involve eating cake in a funny hat while people sing to me. This means next week, I'll be an older, _wiser_ Left. (That's totally a lie. I'll be older, but that's about it. I've had enough birthdays now to know 'wiser' is never going to happen.) Should anyone wish to get me a gift, please see below gifs for my wishlist. ;D
> 
>  
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> **********************************************************

In the realms of things that were awesome, meeting Heimdall ranked pretty highly. They were actually taking the Bifrost to Earth, something that Darcy had been dying to try. That meant she was going to get a closer look at the massive, golden warrior from the tourney before Thor’s coronation. 

She’d been curious about him forever. Loki had talked about him a few times, and had given her a little crash course in what Heimdall was like before they teleported to the observatory, but seeing the man up close was even more impressive than she’d imagined. 

First off, he was huge. Like, towering over Loki huge. Secondly, his eyes were these swirly gold pools of mysterious goodness. Darcy found herself staring more than once, trying to decide if they reminded her of a big cat, or a bird of prey. Neither seemed to fit quite right. 

Despite his size and general air of commanding presence, her first impression was that she really liked him. He seemed serious about his job, but there were a few flashes of dry humor in his conversation with Loki that made her think there was some razor sharp wit lurking somewhere under all that gold armor. 

Plus he pulled no punches about knowing who she was. It was apparent that Heimdall had probably been aware of her presence in Asgard all along, and hadn’t ratted her out. That alone made Darcy like him. He’d greeted them both by name when they arrived in the observatory, and seemed to already know where they were going. It was a pretty handy talent to have when considering he was in charge of all travel to and from Asgard.

Anyway, the whole interaction was pretty simple until they came to the part about where Thor had ended up. Then everything sort of went to hell, like, immediately.

“We have come…” Loki began, once the niceties were dealt with.

“You are seeking your brother,” Heimdall asserted. “I have been watching his progress on Midgard.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.” Loki seemed unsurprised by the interruption. “You know where he is then?”

“Yes.” The massive warrior turned to Darcy. “He is with your friend Jane Foster at a mortal military installation.”

“Wait,” she replied, worry starting to brew already. “He’s at _S.H.I.E.L.D._?”

Now Loki looked alarmed as well. He and Darcy exchanged a glance. 

“How long has he been with Darcy’s friends,” he asked.

Heimdall settled a solemn gaze on them. “They were present when he arrived. He has been with them ever since.”

“Shit,” Darcy said under her breath. 

Loki looked as if he agreed. “It is very likely that he knows who you are by this point.”

“Yeah, ya think?” she replied. “Um, Heimdall? Does he seem...mad?”

“He is greatly dispirited.”

“Awesome,” she muttered, looking at Loki. “He’s not going to trust you now, is he?”

“I cannot say,” he answered. “Thor may not find my deception with you to be that shocking. Regardless, it may be better if you do not come to S.H.I.E.L.D. with me while I speak to him.”

Darcy nodded. “That makes sense. Are you going to be okay by yourself, though?”

Heimdall shifted on his podium, and she glanced up at him to find him watching her. “You have acquired a mortal protector,” he said to Loki. “Some may not see the value in that, but I suspect it would be dangerous to underestimate her.”

“That is a lesson I learned early on,” Loki replied. “She very nearly unmanned me in a field on Vanaheim.”

“I saw,” Heimdall said, and Darcy had another hint of the dry wit. “You will wish to be on your way. I am certain you have much to discuss with your brother, and your mother will be eager to have news of him. Do not let me delay you.”

He moved back up to the top of the dais thingy, and slid a terrifying looking golden sword into the big scabbard at the top. Darcy stared, having an extreme feeling of deja vu, and then she realized what it was about. The observatory was like a colossal, much fancier version of Jane’s little Einstein-Rosen Bridge device. Even the part the sword went in looked like the slot for the key that powered it up.

Well holy shit. Jane really _had_ made a Bifrost. Good for her. The only thing was that she didn’t have Heimdall’s powers. So there was no way for her to know where she sent people, or when they wanted to come back. Her bridge was basically a one way ticket to wherever you ended up. Darcy realized that if she hadn’t landed on Asgard with Loki, she would really have been stuck without any way home. It was a completely scary thought.

“Are you ready?” he was asking, moving them both into position in front of a large portal looking thing.

“Yep,” she replied.

“Safe journey, Your Highness, Ms Lewis,” Heimdall said, and shoved the sword home.

Loki put his arms around her as brilliant eddies of light formed inside the portal. She had a brief moment of wondering how exactly they entered it, when the light whooshed out, caught them both, and sucked them inside.

Travel by Bifrost turned out to be a lot like travel via Jane’s Einstein-Rosen Bridge, only less bumpy and nauseating. Darcy decided that the Asgardians had either perfected how to do it, or the size of the observatory increased the stability of the beam. Either way, the end result was that she preferred Heimdall’s driving to Jane’s.

They landed in the desert just out of sight of town. Loki quickly teleported them to her apartment, and spent the next few minutes destroying all the electronic spying devices that S.H.I.E.L.D. had reinstalled.

“Nicholas is quite persistent,” he mused, locating a tiny, wireless camera hidden inside a picture frame on the wall. 

“If by persistent you mean he’s a freaky, one-eyed, government issue stalker, then yes. I agree.” Darcy opened her refrigerator and promptly slammed the door shut again. She had intended to clean it out, but a better course of action might be just to set it on fire. At the very least, it was going to involve an arsenal of cleaning products and possibly a hazmat suit. “I might need to go shopping,” she informed Loki.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I suppose we could take care of it before I leave to speak with Thor. You will need to show me the location so that I can teleport.”

“What? Oh, no. You can go do your thing. I do drive you know.” She paused. “Well, maybe stay to see if my car starts. It hasn’t been moved in a while.”

Loki nodded. “Whenever you are ready, then.”

Darcy’s car did start, much to her relief. When she got inside, she found a small note from Jane tucked in between the headrest and seat explaining that she’d come down once a week and started it with the spare key Darcy had given her way back when the van was in the shop last spring. Darcy was flooded with a wave of affection for Jane. She probably had enough on her plate already, what with S.H.I.E.L.D. breathing down her neck about her invention, without worrying about Darcy’s car dying. “Thanks, Boss Lady,” she murmured under her breath with a smile.

Loki was still standing there waiting to ensure everything was in working order. She hopped back out of the car with it still running, and hugged him. 

“I’m good. You can go have your little chat with Thor.”

“I shall come for you when I am done.”

“Okay. Could you let Jane know I’m here? And thank her for keeping an eye on my car. That was really awesome of her.” Darcy stretched up on her toes and kissed him. “Try to stay out of trouble, Mischief. No threatening Tony Stark with bodily harm this time. I won’t be there to protect you.”

“You have my word,” he replied. “I will not threaten him.”

Darcy squished her lips together in a thin line. Loki saying he wouldn’t threaten Tony left him a lot of other options, none of them good. “No damaging, injuring, terrorizing, or murdering the annoying billionaire, Loki, I mean it. And no snakes. None. If I find out you conjured so much as a baby ball python during your visit, your longship will not be rocking for a week. Got it?”

The look on Loki’s face said that he considered that an empty threat, but he acquiesced anyway, albeit impatiently. “Yes, yes, Darcy. No death, no snakes, I shall be on my best behavior.”

“Alright then. I’ll see you in a little bit.” She cleared her throat. “I love you.”

Well, that felt couple-y. Somehow saying it while standing at her car, on Earth, made the whole declaration seem like such a normal thing to do. Except Loki was off to break into a military base so he could talk to his banished brother, and she had just made him promise not to create legless reptiles out of thin air. Eh. She’d take it.

“I am yours, Valkyrie,” he said. 

She waited until he’d teleported, and then climbed behind the wheel. Shopping and cleaning were weird after months spent in Asgard where she ate in a giant dining hall, and never had to clean her own luxurious rooms or restock anything she needed. Her apartment looked super-tiny too. Everything felt too close and claustrophobic. Especially the small bathroom.

Her counters were covered in cleaning products, and she had just begun tossing the contents of her fridge into an industrial-strength garbage bag when there was a knock on the door. “Just a sec,” Darcy yelled, and pulled her plastic gloves off so she could answer the door. 

“Darce?” Jane’s voice came back through the door.

“Oh my God, Jane!” she shouted. “Hang on, I’ll be right there.” She bustled across the living room and yanked open the door. “Boss Lady! Come on in! I’m just performing an exorcism on my fridge.”

Jane’s nose wrinkled. “Using bleach in place of holy water?”

“Yeah. It’s seriously possessed. You should see the stuff that was growing in there. It’s no match for me though. Watch.” Darcy walked back over to the fridge, pulled her gloves on, and splashed a little of the bleach cut with water onto one of the shelves. “The power of Clorox compels you,” she intoned. “Veni, vidi, vici.”

“I’m pretty sure ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ isn’t part of the actual exorcism rites recognized by the Catholic Church,” Jane said dryly.

Darcy shrugged. “It’s working for the mystery stain I found underneath what I think was a leftover carton of drunken noodles. Besides, it’s all the Latin I know. Anyway, how are things going at S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

“Good,” she replied, eyes sparkling with suppressed excitement. “Loki’s brother got the Einstein-Rosen Bridge up and running.”

“Are you serious?” Darcy set the her cleaning stuff down. “Jane that’s awesome! What did Erik say?”

“Oh… I didn’t get a chance to tell you last time, but Erik won’t set foot inside of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nothing I say can convince him. I’ve been doing all my research with Tony Stark.”

“Really? Huh. So, you said Thor got it up and running. How?”

Jane perched on one of the stools lining the back of the kitchen island. “He made a suggestion, and it turned out to be right. The truth is that the bridge was working all along, we were just trying to send the wrong things through it. The reason that it worked for you, is because it needs a live subject. So we tried it with mice, and it worked. Now we’ve moved up to lab rats.”

“You’re kidding me. You guys are dumping rats and mice all over Asgard?” She giggled. “I hope they’re ending up in Ærndís’ rooms.”

“Who’s Ærndís?” Jane asked. 

Darcy frowned. “She’s this complete bitch who thinks I stole Loki from her. I don’t get it, because he seriously never thought about her at all. She’s delusional.”

“How are things going between you and Loki?” Jane dragged one of the grocery bags over towards her and peered inside.

“If you’re looking for food,” Darcy said, “you might want to try that one over there. It’s got a couple apples in it.”

The astrophysicist retrieved and apple and took a bite. Darcy decided she wanted one herself and joined Jane at the island. “Anyway, Loki and I… We’re good. It’s kind of serious, actually. I’m really happy with him.”

“That’s great, Darce. Although, when you say serious...how serious?” She gave her a look of concern. “Are you thinking of staying in Asgard? What about school?”

Darcy considered how much she wanted to tell Jane. In the end, she decided to keep it short and sweet. “I still plan on finishing school, but yeah, I’m considering staying. Loki’s not like anyone else I’ve ever met, and I just...I love being with him. I love _him_. Plus Asgard is pretty amazing. The politics alone are fascinating. I could learn so much there.”

“Wow,” her friend replied. “I’m happy for you, but are you sure about this?”

“Nothing’s been decided yet,” Darcy explained. “We’ve just discussed it, and I’m open to staying if things between us work out the way they have been. I have a feeling that if he wasn’t ruling Asgard right now, Loki would be okay with staying here too. He’s already said he would come to Earth with me if I wanted it.”

Jane’s forehead wrinkled. “Ruling Asgard? I thought he and Thor were just princes. Doesn’t their father rule Asgard?”

“He did, but a few weeks ago Odin got really sick. It’s like he’s in some sort of restorative coma. They call it the Odinsleep. Until he wakes up, the council and Frigga have appointed Loki as Asgard’s interim king. See what I mean? Politics all over the place. It’s almost like living in the medieval time period, but they’ve got all this advanced technology mixed in. You’d love that part.”

“Thor definitely acts like he’s from another time period,” Jane mused, then quickly added, “What kind of technology?”

Darcy laughed. “See? That’s why I said the technology part last. If I’d said it first, you wouldn’t have heard anything else.”

“Cute, Darce.”

“Look, I’m just saying that I know what gets you hot. Rawr, science!” She pumped her fist in the air, still grinning. 

“You still have said anything about the technology.”

“Oh, yeah. Right. You know your little Einstein-Rosen Bridge thingy?”

“Yes, but I’m not really sure how I feel about you adding ‘thingy’ to the description. It’s a sensitive, advanced, groundbreaking scientific invention,” Jane groused.

“Uhuh. Like I said, thingy. Anyway,” she said hurriedly, as her friend started to open her mouth with a retort, “Loki and I came down here by Bifrost today, and guess what? It looks just like your bridge, only way, way bigger. Like, exponentially more enormous. You should see the guy who runs it, Heimdall. I could try to describe him, but I’m not sure my vocabulary is up to the challenge. The man is impressive as fuck.”

“How do you manage to be completely vague and intensely descriptive at the same time?”

“It’s a gift,” Darcy responded with a shrug of exaggerated nonchalance. “Okay, so back to their bridge. It works the same as yours does, except Heimdall uses this giant sword instead of a little key. Plus it’s much less bumpy. Maybe you could talk to Loki about how they do that, because yours is sort of nauseating, like a bad carnival ride to another planet. No offense.”

Jane stared. “Are you serious? No wonder the readings when Thor landed were so similar to the ones we got when you are transported to Asgard. I _knew_ there had to be a correlation!” Then she frowned.

“What?” Darcy asked. “What is it?”

“It might be nothing, but Thor saw my Einstein-Rosen Bridge in action, and he never once said that it reminded him of the one they have. That just seems sort of odd. I mean, he’d recognize it, right? You pointed it out right away, and he didn’t.”

“That _is_ sort of suspicious. I bet if Loki’d seen it, he would have said something. I know he was worried about S.H.I.E.L.D. having access to something that could potentially cause problems for Asgard. Maybe Thor feels the same way.”

“I can understand that,” Jane replied. “I’m not entirely comfortable with them knowing as much about it as they do. Director Fury knew about the mice even before we told him. It was disconcerting to say the least.”

Darcy reached into the bag, and got an apple for herself. “Yeah, those guys are totally shady. Loki had to go all James Bond in here earlier just to disarm the ridiculous amounts of surveillance devices they’d planted. They even had one in the bedroom. Like, what the hell is up with that? Hello? Haven’t they ever heard of privacy?”

“Ugh. I’m so sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for S.H.I.E.L.D. to step in and take over. Besides, they can’t really touch me. I’m more worried about you. You’ve got to deal with them all the time.”

“I’m making it work,” Jane said. “Being there gives me access to equipment and technology I wouldn’t have otherwise, but like I said, they always know what I’m doing, and they have access to anything I figure out or create. Sometimes I wonder just how dangerous that is.”

Darcy hesitated before replying. Then she decided Jane had a right to know. “Remember when I said Loki was worried about them possibly having a direct route to Asgard? It was more than that. He said if his father was aware that humans had their own way to travel to the different realms, that Odin would have put a stop to it. Loki is in charge of protecting Asgard right now. S.H.I.E.L.D. having a Bifrost is a serious threat.”

“What are you saying?” the other girl questioned sharply. “Loki is going to put a stop to my project?”

“Noooo,” she replied falteringly. “Not exactly. I don’t think so.”

“Which is it, Darcy? This is really important to me. It was bad enough when Fury hijacked all my research. And why is it fine for Asgard to have a Bifrost and not us? That's a little entitled of them, don’t you think?”

“I know. I said that to Loki, actually. He has no problem with you having the technology. It’s the fact that he has no idea what Fury might do with it. Loki only brought it up once, and he said that it wasn’t his intention to put a stop to anything. He just needed to ensure that your bridge wouldn't be used against Asgard. I think he was planning on moving you to a safe location and keeping an eye on things himself. That’s the truth, Jane. He could have told his father about it, and he didn’t.”

“What about Thor? Would he share Odin’s opinions or Loki’s?”

Darcy bit her lip. “Ummmm, that’s a tough call. Thor can be a little...overbearing. Plus he’s probably really wanting to get back to Asgard _and_ into his dad’s good graces right now. I hate to say don’t trust him...but…”

Jane sat back with a sigh. “Gotcha. Space Tarzan may have ulterior motives. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’m sorry, did you just call him Space Tarzan?” Darcy giggled. 

“Oh.” Jane cracked a smile. “Yeah, it's this thing Tony calls him.”

“Has Thor heard it?”

“He has. Tony Stark is no respecter of persons. You should hear the stuff he says to Fury and Coulson.”

Darcy was all out laughing now. “I’m sorry, but I sort of love that. Space Tarzan. It totally fits. All he needs is a loincloth and a vine. I wonder what Sif would think of that?”

“Sif?” Her friend sat up straighter. “Who’s Sif?”

“That’s sort of complicated,” Darcy replied. “Sif is one of Thor’s best friends, but she was totally crushing on him. It was crazy obvious, but ironically, everybody saw it _except_ Thor. I finally encouraged her to let him know, and they were just starting to be together-ish before he was banished.”

It took a second for Darcy to realize that Jane looked disappointed. Jane and _Thor_? Really?

“You dodged a bullet, Jane. Trust me. Sif and Thor have known each other their whole lives. She knows what he’s like and picked him anyway.”

“What do you mean she knows what he’s like?” her friend asked, tone bordering on defensive. “What’s he like?”

Darcy sighed. Jane liked him. Great. “I’m not sure how he’s acting down here, but at home he can be a total self-aggrandizing dick. Did he even tell you why he got banished?”

“Not as such, no,” Jane said. “I just assumed that was his business.”

“Um, no. It’s pretty much all of Asgard’s business actually, as he nearly caused a war with another realm. In fact, Loki is still trying to prevent that from happening. That’s kind of why we’re here.” She turned her apple around in her hands, and then set it down on the countertop. “Thor talked his friends into a suicide mission on Jötunheim, which is like this frozen ice-world that shares a volatile past with Asgard. Loki went along to try and keep them from all getting killed, but one of the Jötunns insulted Thor, and all hell broke loose. A whole bunch of Jötunns got killed, and Odin had to rescue them. Laufey, who’s the King of Jötunheim has been threatening war ever since. Thor having Mjölnir taken away and being dumped on Earth without his powers is a punishment for doing that.”

“Thor did that?” Jane asked. “Why?”

“Because the Jötunns tried to steal back this weapon that used to be theirs in the middle of Thor’s coronation, and that’s a whole other long story that I don’t want to even get into. I know he’s pretty, Jane, but unless Thor’s made some major changes since he got here, he’s not the kind of guy I’d pick out for you. You deserve better, and there’s that whole ‘he already has a girl’ part. Sif is one of my few friends on Asgard. I don’t want to see her get hurt because Thor decided to take a human girl out for a spin during his banishment. Not that I’m saying you um...go out for spins or whatever,” Darcy backtracked. "But you know what I mean.”

“I see.” Jane exhaled through pursed lips. “Thank you for telling me.”

“I feel like a douche for telling you, actually. I promise I’m not just trying to keep all the Space Princes to myself, really.”

“No. I believe you. Besides, it would be really awkward if something _did_ happen, and then this Sif person showed up here. I’ll keep my distance.”

“He _is_ pretty, though,” Darcy replied with a sideways glance and a smile.

“Yeah he is,” Jane agreed, "but it sounds like he ought to come with a tag that says ‘for decorative purposes only’.”

“Or a warning label,” she quipped. “May contain charm, charisma, and a sword wielding girlfriend from outer-space.”

Jane’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t say anything about wielding a sword.”

“Oh, didn’t I? Yeah, Sif’s a total badass. She’s Asgard’s only female warrior. I’ve been knocked on my ass by her more times than I can count.”

“Wait. _You_ use a sword?”

“What’s with that face?” Darcy asked indignantly. “Do you think I can’t handle myself with a weapon? I’ll have you know, Jane Foster, that I even defeated the Queen of Asgard. Once. And technically she got called away in the middle of our bout, but still, I won.”

The astrophysicist still looked stunned. “Who are you and what have you done with the Darcy I know and love?”

“Awwww, you love me? That’s so sweet! I might have changed a tiny bit.” She held her thumb and forefinger a short distance apart to illustrate. “But cut me some slack. I’ve been living in a whole different world. For instance, would you believe me if I said I made a needlepoint cushion?”

Jane looked at her for a long moment and then said, “I feel like we’re going to need more than just apples for this.”

“Diner?”

“No. Bar. I’m buying.” 

Without missing a beat, Darcy grabbed her purse and said, “I’ll drive.”


	39. Strategic Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki has a little chat with his banished brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!!!! First off, I want to thank you all for the awesome birthday wishes. I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. This community of Tasertricks fans is the best one ever. You guys are amazing, and hilarious, and cool. :D Secondly, we've almost got 30k hits on this story!!!! HOLY CATS!!!! I did a little dance over that. Thank you so much!!!!!!! 
> 
> As promised on Tumblr, here is your new chapter. Some of the dialogue is from the movie script, so if it sounds familiar, that's why. Most of it isn't, though, but keeping a few of the lines was important to the plot, so I did. Tony did not make an appearance this time, but he probably will either in the next chapter, or the chapter after that. (I'm pretty sure everyone can guess what else is going to happen in the next chapter. Prepare your safari gear, we are going hunting.)
> 
> ********************************************************************

“What do you mean you lied to him? Why???” 

Loki had expected that Darcy might not approve of his methods to keep Thor on Midgard, but he hadn’t quite considered how angry she might be. That was turning out to be a rather unfortunate oversight. Especially since she looked ready to march into S.H.I.E.L.D. and rectify the situation herself.

“Would you rather I had given him hope that may have resulted in him returning and instigating a war with Jötunheim?” he asked, yanking off his scarf off and tossing it down onto the small table near her front door. “I am trying to protect us all, Darcy!”

“Jesus Christ, Loki! You of all people should understand how important the truth is! What is with the men in your family having zero ability to communicate honestly with each other?” she huffed. “What happens if he ever figures out the truth? He’s never going to trust you again. Anything you say or do is going to be suspect, including how you ended up being King of Asgard.”

He shook his head. “No. That will not happen. As soon as he has earned back Mjölnir, I will tell him myself. Then we can both face the threat of Jötunheim together as a united force. He will understand. I did what I had to do to keep our home, our people, safe. I am keeping Thor safe as well. Do you think that Laufey would not find another way to murder Thor if he knew I had not completed the task he gave me? My brother is powerless. As long as he remains here, protected by S.H.I.E.L.D., we are all safe.”

“You’re protecting him by lying? I’m trying really hard to understand, Loki, believe me, but I can’t help feeling like if you would have told me what you were planning _before_ you went down there to talk to him, we could have figured something else out. Just...start over and explain it again from the beginning. Okay?” Darcy’s posture was still defiant. “Wait. You know what? Put your scarf back on. I think maybe I need to go for a walk. I’ve been in here cleaning all day, and I could use the fresh air.”

She grabbed a set of keys out of a small china dish, and he threaded the scarf back around his neck. It took a few minutes for them to get out of her apartment complex and into the desert. The pebbly sand crunched under their feet as they walked. Darcy spoke first.

“So, you got to S.H.I.E.L.D., what happened next?”

“As I said, I did not wish to alert them to my presence, so I used a spell to make myself invisible to all but Thor. It was easy enough to locate him. As Heimdall said, he has befriended Jane Foster. I merely teleported to the dining hall where we met her before, and worked outwards from there. He was in a small laboratory nearby.”

Loki went silent, remembering what finding Thor had been like. His brother was alone in the lab, seated with his hands folded in his lap, and his head bowed. Loki could not believe how small and defeated his brother looked through the glass window set in the door. Even when they were children, Thor had always seemed larger than he was. Sitting there, stripped of his powers and birthright, he looked like any other man.

There may have been time when Loki would have exulted in Thor’s ego finally being quelled. However, all he could feel at that moment was pain for the man he had been raised with. Everything had always come so easily to Thor. Having it taken away must have been crushing.

Quietly, Loki opened the door and stepped inside. 

“I am not in the mood to eat, Dr. Foster,” Thor said without turning around. “Thank you, but please go to the cafeteria without me.”

“It is just as well then, because I am neither Dr. Foster, nor do I wish to eat in that vile dining hall,” Loki replied.

“Brother,” he exclaimed, turning around in shock. “What are _you_ doing here?”

“Mother was worried, as was I. I wished to see you myself and know that you were alright.” 

Thor’s eyes filled with concern. “Is Mother well? I was unable to say goodbye to her.”

“She has been better,” Loki answered honestly. "The past few weeks have been trying for us all."

“What are you saying? Tell me! Is it about Jötunheim? If I could only explain to Father…” The words came tumbling over one another in his haste to get them out.

“Father is…” Loki began, and then paused as something occurred to him. He needed Thor to remain on Midgard. If he believed he could return and seek Odin’s favor that would never happen. But if he thought that avenue closed to him… 

“Loki? What is it? What about Father?” Thor questioned.

He looked away, assuming an air of grieving. “I am sorry, but...Father is dead."

“Dead?" Thor stared at him with a stunned expression. "When? How?”

“He collapsed shortly after you left. Your banishment, the threat of war, it was too much for him so close to the Odinsleep. ”

“You are saying it was my fault?” his brother asked, despondent.

“No, of course not,” Loki replied consolingly. “You mustn’t blame yourself. I don’t blame you. Mother does not blame you either. We know that you loved him. It was cruel of him to send you away, and put the hammer within your grasp, knowing you could not lift it. I attempted to tell him so, but he would not listen.”

“Who rules now? Mother?”

Loki shifted uneasily. “Actually, the burden of the throne has fallen to me.”

He had expected Thor to question that news, but his brother seemed to accept it as a matter of fact. For that Loki was thankful. It made fielding the request that followed all the more difficult, though.

“May I come home?” Thor asked.

“I… I cannot allow it,” Loki told him haltingly. “The truce with Jötunheim is conditional upon your exile.”

For a moment, Thor’s spark returned. He sat up straighter, looking Loki straight in the eye. “But is there no way we could defeat Laufey? Together? What use is a treaty, when we could have victory!”

“No!” he disagreed sharply. “Forgive me, Thor, but was it not this thirst for victory that resulted in you being banished? Think of Asgard. What help could you offer without Mjölnir or your powers? I want you home, but not at the cost of all we hold dear.”

His brother’s eyes narrowed. “Like your Midgardian?” Loki opened his mouth to reply, and Thor held his hand up to stop him. “Do not insult me by continuing the lie. I was not here more than a day before I learned the truth of who Darcy really is.”

“I had no intention of continuing the lie,” Loki responded. “Had you been more understanding of her presence when you discovered her with me at the hunting lodge, there need never have been a lie in the first place.”

“You assured me that she would be returned to Midgard. Have you forgotten Father’s feelings regarding mortals? Allowing them to run wild in Asgard is dangerous, Loki.”

Loki bristled. “You speak of them as if they are animals. Need I remind you that you found Darcy quite charming during your acquaintance with her? Furthermore, she is hardly ‘running wild’ on Asgard. She is in the employment of our mother!”

“Yes, due to your lies. Mother believes her to be from Vanaheim,” Thor declared.

“My dear Brother,” he sighed, “do you truly believe our mother does not know what Darcy is? Even you cannot be so thick as to think that the Queen of Asgard would not recognize the difference between a Vanir and a Midgardian.”

“I did not recognize it,” his brother retorted stubbornly.

“No, because you saw a magnificent pair of breasts and looked no further, as is your wont.” Loki shook his head. “Thor, tread very carefully here. You cannot know what the girl means to me, or what she has done for me. I will not tolerate insults where Darcy is concerned. Yes, she is Midgardian, and despite Father’s opinion, there is nothing shameful in that. Darcy is warm, intelligent, and loving. There is not a single difference between her and any woman of the Æsir other than her lifespan, and if she so wishes it, I will change that.”

Thor blinked in disbelief. “You are going to offer her immortality?”

“We have spoken of it, yes. I love her, Thor, and I am not willing to lose her. It is her choice though. I will not force her hand.”

“You truly do love her, don’t you?” He appeared to be marveling at this revelation. “A mere mortal woman?”

“If that is all you can see Darcy as now that you know what she is, then perhaps I am right to honor Father’s last act. You have not learned anything yet during your time on Midgard, have you?” Loki said sadly. 

“You believe them as worthy as we are? Midgardians, with their endless wars, and childish disputes?” Thor scoffed. 

“Ah yes, and overturning a table because you were not given your way was not childish? Leading your friends into Jötunheim to avenge the Laufey’s thwarted attempt to recover the cask was not childish?”

“I was angry!”

“And that excuses it?” Loki asked mildly.

Thor opened his mouth and then closed it again. “That is not what I meant,” he finally muttered.

“I want you home, Brother. You have a rightful place, and I would see you take it, but not until you have gained some wisdom and perspective. Pass the test our Father saw fit to give you, and I will welcome you back to Asgard with open arms.”

“What of the truce with Jötunheim? You said that was conditional upon my remaining in exile.”

“It is, but I hope it could be ratified in time. Barring that, it is highly possible that the knowledge of us being united, and you having your full powers once again, will be enough to hold the Jötunns at bay.” Loki shrugged. “Laufey may be vengeful, but he is no fool. He will not start a war he has no hope of winning. All I ask of you is patience.”

“I am more accustomed to taking action than waiting.”

“I know.”

Thor stood up. “Fine. I will remain here, and allow you to handle matters with Jötunheim for now.”

Loki had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Thor was _allowing_ him to handle matters? How very magnanimous of him. At this rate, his brother’s stay on Midgard was going to be lengthy indeed.

“Thank you,” he replied dryly. “You support is much appreciated.” 

If Thor noticed the sarcasm, he ignored it. “You are welcome. Have you any other news of home? My friends? Sif?”

“Ah, I nearly forgot,” Loki said. He reached into his coat, and plucked out a folded sheet of parchment. “Sif gave this to Darcy with the request that I deliver it to you.”

Thor took it, breaking the seal with his thumb, and rapidly devouring the words inside. Loki perused a small array of metal devices lying on top of a table nearby in an effort to afford his brother some privacy. 

“She misses me,” Thor said, eyes still on the letter. 

Loki’s head snapped up. “Sif actually said those words?”

“No.” His brother smiled. “She spends the entire letter scolding and insulting me, but that is what she means all the same.”

“Well, that sounds more like Sif,” he said with a small chuckle. 

“Will you carry my reply back to her?”

“Of course.”

For the next few minutes, the only sound in the room was that of a pen against paper as Thor filled it with his messy, sprawling handwriting. It was a mystery to Loki how he had learned penmanship from their tutors and Thor had not. Perhaps Thor could acquire that skill on Midgard as well. He watched as his brother signed the letter with a large, untidy flourish. Perhaps not.

Thor folded the letter and then frowned. “I have nothing to seal it with.”

With an impatient sigh, Loki took it from him and ran his fingers along the seam. A red wax seal appeared with Thor’s personal signet in the center. 

“I do not know if I should be grateful or worried that you have the ability to mimic my seal so perfectly,” Thor said.

“As there is very little you can do about it, I suggest you thank me and move on. I am sure Sif will be pleased that your words to her are safe from prying eyes.”

Thor appeared to consider that. “You have a point. When do you return?”

“Darcy had a few things to take care of that will require us spending the night. I also wanted to speak to Dr. Foster about her research,” Loki told him.

His brother didn’t reply. Loki found that very telling. Either Thor had not learned the true use of Jane’s device, or he was aware and trying to conceal that fact. 

“I should be on my way,” he said to Thor. “Did you have any message you wished me to relay to our mother?”

“Tell her I am sorry, that I am well, and that I hope to be able to come home soon.”

Loki gave a quick nod. “Of course. She will be glad to have news of you.”

He had just begun to gather his magic to teleport, when Thor said, “Do you remember on the day of my coronation when I said I believed you incapable of sincerity?”

“I recall the conversation,” Loki replied cautiously, wondering where his brother was going with this.

“I was wrong.” Thor reached out and set his hand on Loki’s shoulder. “Thank you for coming.”

The lie he had told to keep his brother on Midgard turned to ash in his mouth. For one brief moment, Loki considered telling him the truth, and then steeled his resolve. There was far too much at stake to go back now. 

Before he could change his mind again, he acknowledged Thor’s statement, and moved away. “Goodbye, Brother. For now.”

****************************************************************************************************

"And that is the entirety of the conversation," Loki concluded, and looked expectantly at Darcy. She was staring thoughtfully at the ground, kicking small pebbles out of her way as she walked. 

“Okay,” she said, pulling her hands out of her pockets and using them to push her windblown hair behind her ears. “I get why you did it. That doesn’t mean I think it was a good idea, though. Especially after that whole thing he said at the end. If he finds out you lied _before_ you have a chance to tell the truth and explain it is not going to be good. Plus, he knows about Jane’s bifrost. She told me that when she was here this afternoon. He’s got a way home, Loki, which means he could show up angry and unannounced.”

“I am aware of that.”

“Right. Well, we’ve got to fix that, or at least be ready for it. Jane hasn’t really figured out how to control where her bridge ends up. It’s possible that he would come through in the same place I did. You could set up some wards there or something. Would we be able to hide him or reason with him before Laufey found out? How long would it take before Laufey realized Thor was alive and back on Asgard anyway?”

He glanced at her curiously. “Are you devising a strategy to protect Asgard in the event that my brother returns prematurely?”

“Hmmm?” Darcy said absently. “Oh, yeah...I guess. I mean, I’m just trying to minimize the damage if Thor finds out you lied and decides to do something about it. Is that what it is?”

“Yes,” Loki replied.

“Well then, okay, I’m devising a strategy. Is that a problem?”

She looked up at him with a set jaw and a challenging glint in her eyes. He always found her boldness incredibly provocative, but when Darcy coupled it with scheming, he found the combination irresistible. Loki mentally measured the distance between them and her apartment. Too far. They would need to teleport. 

"Not at all. Please, continue," he said in answer to her question. Perhaps he could have her right here. The terrain was harsh, but he could conjure something to cover it.

“Oh my God. This is turning you on,” Darcy declared. “Look at you. You’re doing the whole burning gaze thing. We’re three seconds from you licking your lips. Yep, there it is." 

"Can you blame me if I find your mind incredibly seductive?" Loki asked.

"Nope. I'm kinda the same way about you." She grinned and walked her fingers up his tie. "So, are we teleporting or walking, because I have been dying to rip that suit off you from the very moment you conjured it up.” 

“Really? Why did you not say?” Loki asked, pulling her close and letting his magic shimmer free around them.

“I was behaving.” Darcy stretched up and murmured in his ear, “Newsflash, I’m totally done behaving. Get us back to my place, or you are about to find out what it’s like to have sex in the desert, and you don’t want that. The grit gets everywhere. Did I mention I will let you destroy my bed? _Destroy_ it. In fact,” she whispered, “at this point I don’t even care if my apartment is standing afterwards.”

Loki couldn’t help himself, he growled.

“Mmmm, there’s my badass God of Mischief. Well? What are you waiting for? A written invitation?”

No. He most certainly was not. Without bothering to answer, he picked up her up and moved them both straight to her bedroom. They had destruction to unleash on her unsuspecting bed, and he knew exactly how he wanted to begin.


	40. How to Destroy a Bed in Three Easy Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which someone gets chained down, someone gets tied up, and Darcy empties her ice trays for a worthy cause.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did promise bed destruction, right? Will 4700 words of bed destruction do? I hope so. 
> 
> My sincere thanks to [MagickMaven](http://archiveofourown.org/users/magickmaven/works), who took time out of her busy day at work to peruse this smut and offer her opinions. She's awesome, people. If you haven't read her stuff, please click that link and go do so. 
> 
> Now, down to brass tacks. There is bondage in this chapter. It's pretty fluffy bondage, but not everyone is into that, so I thought I should let you know in advance. This chapter is also pretty light on plot, but since plot is going to be all over the place from here on out, I thought you'd forgive me for that.
> 
> *************************************************************

Darcy stood in her bright, cluttered bedroom next to Loki. She looked like she'd spent the day running errands, and he looked like he'd been at the opera. Of course, she couldn't imagine either one of them would be dressed much longer, so it really wasn't that big of a deal. Besides, he was still staring at her like he planned on making a meal out of her despite her jeans and ancient t-shirt. They seriously had zero ability to keep their hands off of each other. It was great.

“So,” she said while toying with his tie, “here we are. In the bed destruction zone. Did you have any particular plan for that?”

“Several. Although I believe you said you had some designs on my suit,” he answered. 

She ginned. “Actually, I think what I said was that I wanted to rip it off of you. You know, if you want to be specific or whatever.”

“Far be it from me to stop you, then,” Loki replied.

“Yeah? Awesome.” Darcy reached for his heavy, woolen coat, and began to push it off his shoulders. 

It was halfway to his elbows when he said, “This method is rather mundane, don’t you think?”

“Well I don’t exactly have magic like you do, Mischief,” Darcy reminded him. “It’s not like I can make it disappear.”

“You could,” he replied.

“Could what?” She was focused on getting him naked, and only half paying attention. 

“Use magic. Would you like to?” Loki inquired.

Darcy paused, eyes full of surprise, with his coat still draped over one arm. “Seriously?” 

“Yes.” Loki touched the cuff they used to communicate, and she immediately felt a stream of emotions flow through it. 

“That’s you, isn’t it?” she asked. “God, I love knowing what you’re feeling.”

“It’s an open connection. You have unlimited access to my emotions. I can feel you as well.” 

“Can you? What am I feeling right now?”

“Hm, affection, arousal…longing...” Loki stopped, lips still parted, and shuddered all over. Then he arched an eyebrow at her. “I would suggest you stop doing _that_ unless you wish to render me insensible.”

She blinked. “I could do that?”

He sent a surge of lust through their connection so strong that she gasped and felt dizzy.

“Nevermind,” Darcy said. “I get it. No pushing Loki over the edge until things get all orgasmic.”

“Wise. Now, where were we?”

“Pretty sure I was getting your clothes off,” she replied. “Are you really going to let me use magic?”

“Of course. Set that coat down and put your hands on my shoulders.” He waited until she did. “Good. Now, slowly draw them down my arms.”

She could feel the fabric of his suit under her palms as they slid over his shoulders, and….something else. It was similar to to what it felt like when he sent messages through their cuffs, except somehow this was coming from her. A green shimmer flowed from under her fingers, and his suit jacket began to vanish from the collar down. 

“Am I really doing that, or is it you?”

“A little of both,” Loki explained. “My magic is using you as a conduit, so it is coming from you, but I’m directing it.”

“You’re doing magic through me using our cuffs?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Something like that.”

Darcy’s hands had reached his wrists, and the last of his suit jacket disappeared. She looked up at him with a delighted smile. “I know I’ve said this a million times, but you are amazing. You’re also crazy-hot in a suit. There’s something about you in these clothes, any Earth clothes really. It just makes me all rawr!” She emphasized by making little claws with her fingers on either side of her face. 

He chuckled. “Does it?”

“Mmhm. This suit, though? It’s sexy as fuck.” She ran her fingers down his tie and it evaporated into nothing. “I mean, it’s almost a shame to take it off.” Darcy tapped the button on his shirt collar and it promptly unbuttoned. She started to giggle as she worked her way down the whole row. “Oh my God. This is the best.”

His amusement flowed back to her through their connection. “You have forgotten my scarf.”

“No I haven’t.” She wrapped her fingers around it on either side, and used it to pull him down so they were face to face. “See?”

“Clever.”

“That’s why you love me.”

Loki cupped her face in both hands, thumbs caressing her cheekbones. “That is far from the only reason.”

“Less talking, more kissing. Not that I don’t like the talking,” she added, “but it’s not getting the bed destroyed.”

“Always in such a hurry,” he said, but commenced the kissing anyway.

Darcy made a happy little sound when his lips met hers. She’d been waiting for this all day. At some point, maybe they’d be able to just spend time together without having tons of drama simmering around them. Possibly after the whole Jötunheim situation was resolved. She could hope, anyway.

“You know, there are other uses for this scarf,” Loki said once she’d relinquished his lips. He pulled one of her wrists up, winding a length of scarf around it. “I believe you have offered to let me tie you up more than once. Would you like to make good on that offer, Valkyrie?”

She swallowed hard, feeling her knees wobble. He wanted to tie her up with his scarf? Yeah. Her bed was toast. 

“Shall I take your lack of reply as a yes or a no?” he asked, the scarf making a soft, swishing sound as he ran it through his fingers.

“I um...yeah. It’s a yes,” Darcy said, watching playing with it, and wondering what it look like around his own wrists. “What about you?" she inquired boldly. "Are you gonna let me tie you up too?”

His answer was evident even before he said anything. The wave of desire that flashed through her cuff from his was intense.

“I am more than willing, Darcy, but you're going to need quite a bit more than a strip of fabric holding me down if you want to have your way with me. This would be ripped apart in seconds.” Loki slid the scarf out from around his neck and settled it around hers, glancing at the wooden frame of her bed. “Your headboard might be as well, but we can consider that collateral damage.”

“I have these,” she offered, tugging open the drawer to her nightstand and pulling out a set of handcuffs.

He shot her a look that conveyed just how much he appreciated her naughty streak. After a moment of briefly examining the chain and the mechanism that allowed them to open and shut, Loki handed them back to her. “They will never survive me. I can see we will have to improvise.”

“You’re going to make handcuffs?”

“No,” he said absently, green magic shimmering around his hands and her bed, “I am going to make chains.”

Moments later he had a matching cuff around each wrist, and two metal rings were embedded on opposite sides of her headboard. Darcy’s fertile brain supplied her with several highly detailed fantasies that involved Loki being chained to the bed. A decent amount of air seemed to go whooshing out of the room as she considered them. She figured it was superfluous air since she was still breathing. Mostly, anyway.

He was standing there, smirking, shirt unbuttoned over his bare chest. “My, my, someone finds that appealing.”

What was that she felt from him? Amusement? He was _amused_? Oh, she was so going to fix that immediately. How dare he be amused by her reaction. He had no idea how much trouble he was in. Loki was on _her_ turf now. He was going to begging by the time she got done with him.

“Shut up and get on the bed, Loki. I’m totally not putting up with your insolence right now.”

Okay. Yep. She could do this. 

His eyes widened at her words, but he centered himself on the mattress, stretching his arms up over his head. The moment they were in place, chains appeared, fastening him to the rings.

Darcy gave the chains a small tug, and smiled in satisfaction. They were almost as thick as her wrist. He could pull all he wanted, but her bed was going to give out before his restraints did. Unless he cheated.

“No cheating,” she demanded, poking him in the chest. “I’m serious, Loki.”

“I promise you, Darcy, I will remain completely at your mercy until you release me,” he replied. “Just know, once I am released, you will be at mine.”

“Good. Okay, um...stay. I’ll be right back.” 

He glanced at both of his hands. “Where, exactly, do you expect me to go?” 

Darcy just stuck her tongue out at him, and left the room. Two minutes later she was back, toting a small bowl full of ice-cubes.

“What is that?” Loki asked suspiciously, trying to lift up enough to see in the bowl.

“Ah-ah.” She pushed him back down. “That’s top secret.” Curiosity burned through their connection, and she could feel him trying to get into her head and find out. “Did we not discuss cheating? Knock it off.”

The inquisitive sensation backed down to a quiet hum as he obeyed. Darcy set the bowl on the bed, and straddled his hips. Then she looked at the jeans and t-shirt she was still wearing and frowned. He must have caught it, because everything but her panties abruptly disappeared in a haze of green light and were replaced with his oxford.

“You ought to wear my clothing more often,” Loki said, gazing appreciatively at her curves through the barely buttoned shirt.

She looked at it, and realized there were tiny green stripes running through the white fabric that she hadn’t even noticed before. “Can I keep it?”

“I will make you a dozen if you wish. You look exquisite.”

“So do you.” 

Her eyes skipped over his body, and she bent forward, using one hand to steady herself so she could kiss him. She purposefully kept herself just far enough above him that he had to stretch up to reach her, and the links of his restraints clicked together as he pulled fruitlessly against them.

It forced the kiss to stay light and teasing until she cupped the back of his head in her other hand to support it. Loki’s shoulders relaxed as she parted her lips and allowed him to deepen it into something that sent a buzz of excitement all over her skin. He groaned when she pulled away, letting his head drop back onto the pillow.

Darcy reached blindly behind her for the bowl. Her questing fingers found it, and she removed one of the ice-cubes, careful not to let him see it. Pressing her lips against his forehead, she whispered, “Close your eyes, Loki.”

Once he had, she brought the ice to his skin. He gasped when it first touched him, and she bit her lip, waiting to see if this was okay. The only thing registering through their cuffs was pleasure, though. Darcy slid it down the curve of his neck, watching a drop of water break free on his Adam’s apple and streak down the side. More droplets formed as the point of the ice-cube traveled over his collarbone, and she licked them away where they pooled in the dip of his clavicles.

After about a minute, the piece of ice had dwindled down to something difficult to hold. She popped it in her mouth, sucking on it while she got another. Darcy trailed the fresh one across his chest, enjoying the way it was hitching with each breath. Leaning over him again, she pressed her lips to his. The ice she’d been sucking on had dissolved, but her tongue was still cold, and he made a strangled moan when she slipped it into his mouth. This time when she pulled away, Loki yanked so hard on his restraints trying to follow her that his skin went white around the cuffs. 

“Awww, is that a little bit frustrating, Mischief?” she taunted.

She could practically hear him grinding his teeth before he said, “Come. Back.”

“Uhuh. Nope. I’ve got stuff to do over here. To your body. With this ice.”

His chains rattled again. “You know I will repay you for this.” 

“Promises, promises,” Darcy said, tracing ice over his Adonis belt. Or at least over part of it. The rest of it was under the confines of his suit pants. That was unacceptable. Hot damn, though, the tailoring was insane. It was almost a shame to remove them. Not that she was going to let that stop her.

She undid the button and zip, slowly pulling it down tooth by tooth. With her eyes locked on his, she slid her hand inside, and… 

Darcy quirked her eyebrow at him. “Really, Loki? Not even with a suit, huh?”

Her hand slid down further, fingers meeting nothing but highly aroused God of Mischief, and she knew that her having the upper hand was about to go straight out the window. Well, shit.

He felt it too. Her increase of arousal, the stunningly quick reverse of power, everything. She could see it in the way his eyes were glittering dangerously at her under hooded lids. 

Dangerous Loki was seriously hot though. All the hot, in fact.

“Something catch your eye, Darcy?” he asked in a low tone. He rolled his hips, grinding himself against her palm.

Yeah, she had to reclaim control here, or she was going to find herself tied up way sooner than she expected. Instead of replying, she closed her fingers around him and stroked. He made a hissing sound, eyes closing as his neck arched.

Even better than watching his reaction was _feeling_ it. Aside from the growing impatience of not being able to escape his bonds, Loki was totally enjoying himself. Each slide of her hand on his cock caused a storm of sensation to echo inside her as well because of the open connection in their bracelets. It was as if she were feeling it herself, which was novel to say the least.

“Was it your intention to make a mess?” he inquired. “Because there will be one if you continue that.”

She shook her head and picked up another half-melted piece of ice. “Nope.” Darcy took the ice between her teeth and smiled at him before sucking it back into her mouth. She continued to tease him, waiting for the ice to completely melt. 

Once it had, she shifted back until she was leaning over him, pushed her hair behind her shoulder, and delicately ran her chilled tongue over the head of his cock. Loki bucked up, grabbing the chains in his hands with a force that made her headboard creak under the strain. 

“Who’s in a hurry now, hm?” she asked with another lick.

His hips snapped up again. “You know very well how hard I am straining to control myself.”

“I do,” Darcy purred. “I should probably reward you, shouldn’t I?”

She trailed her fingernails over his abdomen, watching the muscles ripple in their wake. Then took him in her mouth, bobbing her head several times in succession. He jerked on the restraints again, ratcheting the creaking sounds up to ominous levels. Darcy smiled, using the point of her tongue to tease over the tip of his cock, before going down in a long stroke. The wooden bedframe groaned as his chains pulled taut once more. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” she said, swirling her tongue around the head. “I really, really want to watch you come. So be a good boy, Mischief, and stop holding back.”

“I am not a boy,” Loki practically growled.

“We had this same argument the last time we were here,” she replied, “and I’m pretty sure I’m in the perfect position to say, without a doubt, yes you are.”

With that, she went back to driving him crazy. It wasn’t long at all before Loki was moving helplessly beneath her, bottom lip caught between his teeth. Darcy could feel him getting closer. She could feel everything, in fact. His reactions were feeding right to her through the cuffs.

It was sort of awesome knowing just what got him off the most. Within minutes, his back bowed up on the bed as his orgasm went through them both like a firestorm. Darcy heard the chains snapping tight, and then the sound of her headboard cracking straight down the center. Well, no one could accuse them of not accomplishing their goals, that’s for sure.

“Gods,” he said hoarsely, once she’d flopped over next to him on the bed.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” she asked. “The cold? Now you know why I like it.”

Loki’s harsh breathing stopped for a second, and then he asked, “Is that what this was about?”

“Yep. Consider it a hands on lesson on why I get completely wet every time I remember you going blue for me.”

“You liked it that much?”

“Liked it is a bit of an understatement,” Darcy replied. “It was incredible. I wish I could show you. Actually, I sort of can, can’t I?” She propped herself up on her elbow so she was facing him. “Brace yourself, Loki, I’m gonna do a thing.”

He barely had time to register her words before she began deliberately sending him memories of the time they’d spent with him in his Jötunn form. She did her very best to convey each sensation and emotion. Beginning with how beautiful she thought he was, to what it was like when he was inside her. By the end it, Loki was straining against his bonds again, wood splintering around where the rings were embedded. 

“Release me,” he demanded. 

Darcy leaned over him, licked his lips, and said, “Say please.”

There was split second where he lay there, meeting the challenge in her eyes, and then the chains broke free with a loud snap. She was underneath him before she even realized what had happened. 

“No,” Loki said, catching her wrists in his hands and sliding them up until they were stretched above her head. “I don’t think I will.”

“You have nothing to tie me to,” she said, trying to turn her head enough to see the split headboard.

“You think I am going to tie you to the headboard?” He gave her a wolfish smile. “How quaint.”

“Okay then, smartass, if not the headboard, then where?”

Loki made a slight circular motion with one hand, and a large, metal ring suspended by a short chain appeared in the ceiling. Darcy stared. Well. That answered that.

“I believe I have allowed you too much leniency,” he mused. “It may be time to assert my rule over you. After all, I am King.”

Okay, he was _way_ better at this than she was. Talk about getting into character. It was having quite the effect on her, too. Darcy wriggled underneath him in a frustrating attempt to get a little friction going on. 

“Oh, no, my sweet little Valkyrie,” Loki said, stilling her body with his hand. “I don’t recall giving you permission to do that.”

Darcy closed her eyes. She was so, so, fucked. The hand that had been resting on her hip was traveling now, slipping up the front of the oxford and undoing each button one by one. It had been a tight fit to begin with. Loki was broad-chested, but her hourglass figure had filled it up admirably. As each button came free, the two seams sprang apart until there was only one remaining.

Loki toyed with the last tiny closure, finger circling the button. “I think, Darcy, that you should kneel for me. Would you like that?”

Under any other circumstances, she would have made a smart remark, or found his words funny. However, in the moment, pinned down by his mesmerizing gaze, all she could was nod. The ring was positioned close to the left side of the bed, near the bottom. He waited until she was on her knees directly beneath it, facing the center of the bed, and motioned for her to raise her arms so he could bind them. 

Loki made quick work of the scarf, knotting it around both her wrists, and looping it through the metal circle before securing it tightly to itself. Darcy could feel him making sure the knots weren’t too tight around her wrists, and that she had enough slack for her arms to move a little. She was trapped in a kneeling position, though. If she dropped down even slightly, all her weight shifted to her arms.

Even though she trusted him completely, she couldn’t help but have a tiny second of apprehension at her helpless position. Loki noticed it immediately, and the dominant facade briefly dropped.

“You are safe, Darcy. I am going to know everything you feel the moment you feel it. If you are taking pleasure in it, if you want to stop...I will know. Do you want to continue?”

She nodded. 

His hands slid down her arms, and continued their way sensuously over her frame. “Good. Now, part your legs.” Darcy moved them apart a short distance and he clucked with dissatisfaction. “I said part your legs, mortal.”

She moved them out further, causing the fabric to pull tight around her wrists. This time Loki seemed satisfied. He moved off the bed, disappearing behind her. The mattress dipped as he planted one knee between her calves. His hands appeared again, fingers tracing up the sides of her thighs, something metal scratching lightly as it moved over her skin. Darcy looked down to see that he shifted back into his Asgardian clothes, and the scratchy things were the buckles to his vambraces.

Her whole body shivered. There was something about her being mostly undressed while he was fully clothed that was ridiculously hot. She imagined what it must look like, Loki in his boots and leather plate armor, while she knelt in front of him in only his shirt and a teensy pair of lace boyshorts. 

Then the hands on her body turned impossibly cold, and Darcy actually thought she could hear the click when her brain disengaged. It was somewhere around the point where his blue fingers freed the last button on the oxford, and pushed the fabric out of the way so he could cup her breasts.

“ _Fuck_ , Loki,” she said, curving back as much as she could in her restraints in an effort to feel him behind her.

“Is there something you wanted, Darcy?” he asked in a silky tone.

Her only reply was an inarticulate whimper as one of his hands shifted from her breast to the waistband of her panties. She rose up, trying to force it lower, but he moved his other knee up on the bed and between her legs, shoving them further apart, and stopping her short. 

His fingers slipped under the lace, pausing just shy of where she needed him most. “I asked you a question,” Loki commanded. “Answer it.”

“Touch me,” she begged.

“That’s hardly specific. One could argue that I _am_ touching you.” He began to withdraw his hand and she jerked against the scarf holding up her arms. Loki gave a low chuckle, sliding his hand back down so that the pad of his index finger was just grazing her clit. “Is this where you want me?”

Darcy sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth as his frigid skin came in contact with her slick, hot folds. “Yes! God! Just...please…”

He increased the pressure, rubbing over the sensitive little bundle of nerves in tight circles. Loki’s other hand continued to move between her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples in his fingers. “How long do think it will be before you are shaking with release, my precious girl? I can already feel it building.”

She moaned, hips rocking against his hand. “I want… Please, Loki I want you inside me first.”

His chest was pressed along her back, and she felt it vibrate with a growl. The sound made her legs shake. Loki’s hand twisted inside her boyshorts, grasping the lace in his fist and ripping straight through them in one, sharp movement. 

And she thought her legs were shaking _before_. Darcy’s whole body was now trembling with need. It took her a moment to comprehend that it wasn’t only hers, but his as well. Loki was just as desperate to be inside her, as she was to have him there.

He grasped her hips in his hands, lifting and angling her so she was supported. Her addled mind had a moment to grasp that the sound of tearing she heard was Loki shredding the laces on his leather pants before he was thrusting up into her, giving her no time to adjust. Not that she wanted it. The keen edge between pleasure and pain that came with every stroke just served to feed the fire already spreading inside. 

His lips were roving over her neck above the open collar of the oxford. Every so often she could feel Loki’s fangs grazing her hyper-sensitive skin, sending little sparks singing through her body. She loved it. The pull of the scarf around her wrists, the feel of him driving into her, and his wintry cold against her feverish heat all serving to ignite an acute thrum deep in her core. 

His release triggered hers, Darcy’s body instantly responding to the ecstasy flooding through their connection. She completely lost track as to which feeling came from him, and which from her. It was melded together in an electrifying torrent of sensation.

The world went white around Darcy, and there nothing, _nothing_ but Loki. His touch was her anchor in a sea of chaos. When it was over, he carefully freed her hands and brought them down in front of her. Then he pulled her back into his arms, and she sagged against him, just catching her breath.

“There will be no escape from me after that,” he said. “You are mine, Darcy Lewis.”

“Welcome to today’s episode of Sleeping With a Possessive God of Mischief,” she giggled. “That was seriously incredible, though. You owe me a bed...” A small shower of dust rained down on them from above. They both looked up to see cracks forming in the plaster around the base for the ring. “...and possibly a ceiling. Should we move?”

Loki used magic to fix the ceiling and the headboard, and she smiled, snuggling in closer. 

“Don’t break the connection yet, okay?” Darcy requested, running her fingers over his cuff.

“I won’t.” He kissed the top of her head. 

“I like this. Feeling you like this. You’re like an ocean of happy all around me.”

He laughed. “More like a frozen sea.”

She pulled back, looking up into his glowing, ruby-hued eyes. “I love it.”

“I know you do.”

“Yeah you do. That was totally smart, right? I’m a genius.”

“Are you fishing for a compliment?” he asked, arching a brow at her.

“Nope. Just stating a fact. Can’t you feel the factiness coming through your cuff?” She tapped it with her finger. “Maybe it’s broken.”

He seemed about to answer when a noisy burst of music came from the other room. “What is that?”

“My phone,” Darcy replied. “Someone’s texting me. Hang on.” She started to get off the bed, but he held her fast, conjuring the phone into his hand instead. The screen lit up again with another message as she took it. “It’s Jane. She wants to know if we can meet up later.” 

“I have no objections if that is what you want to do,” he said. “It would mean we could return to Asgard first thing in the morning.”

“And you want to get back,” she surmised. 

“Does that upset you?” he asked with an expression of concern.

“No, but I’m totally introducing you to Netflix tonight. It’s a crime that you don’t have it on Asgard. You ought to pass some edict about that or something.” 

Loki glanced at the small television across the room. “I feel as if that would be an abuse of power.”

“Did you just insult my TV?” Darcy asked. She addressed the magic box of awesomeness and non-boredom. “Don’t listen to him, baby. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“You have given it a pet name?” 

She grinned at him. “Why? You jealous?”

“Such impudence. I can see I will have to assert myself again,” Loki said, shaking his head sadly. “This will hurt me more than it hurts you, mortal.”

“Oh well,” Darcy replied. “I suppose it’s for my own good. You wouldn’t want me just running around speaking my mind all the time. That would be terrible.”

“Terrible,” he echoed.

“Yup.” She kissed him, and then whispered, “Can I be the one chained up this time?”

His answering growl was all the response she needed to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, in case anyone wondered what an Adonis Belt was... See that V on his abdomen? Yeah. It's that.  
> 


	41. Magical Bridges to Narnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Planning, death threats, beer, and Tony. (who has some questions about a horse)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi awesome people!!!! Thank you so much for being patient. :D My husband was home for two weeks during the holiday, and we were doing family stuff, so it didn't leave me a lot of time to write. I hope everyone who celebrates stuff in December had an awesome holiday. Here's your chapter, complete with Tony. Woo!
> 
> ***********************************************************************

It was a short walk to the bar where they were meeting Jane. Darcy found herself constantly glancing up at the tall God of Mischief striding along beside her. He looked ridiculously hot. She was seriously fighting desperate urges to drag him into the nearest dark alley. Fortunately it was a tiny block, and alleys were in short supply. 

“So, um, I like the sweater,” she said, gesturing at the deep green v-neck he was wearing over jeans, and what looked like his usual boots. It was hard to tell, because they were mostly covered by denim.

“Do you?” he asked.

Darcy shrugged. “Yep. I always think you’re sexy when you wear Earth clothes, but that sweater is really doing it for me.” 

He perused her choice of attire, a short, grey dress and tights, with a slate blue jacket thrown overtop of them. “I forget what you look like when you are dressed in Midgardian clothes. It always reminds me of when I found you.”

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” She avoided a large crack in the sidewalk, and fell back into step with him.

“I like it,” Loki said. “You are lovely in Asgardian gowns, but this is very you. Of course, that does not mean that I wouldn’t rather see you out of it.”

“Lucky you, then, Mischief, because I’m totally going home with you after this.” Darcy grinned at him. “Also, we’re here.”

She had paused outside the windows of the dimly lit bar, pulling him to a stop with her hand in his. Loki got the door, and she slipped under his arm and inside with him right behind her. It took her a second to spot Jane across the room.

“Hey!” her friend yelled, waving her hand in the air. “Darce! Over here!”

It was then that she noticed Jane had brought Tony with her. Well, this is was going to be interesting...and possibly homicide-inducing. She could feel Loki stiffen beside her. 

“Do you need a drink?” she asked him. “I need a drink.”

“Perhaps more than one. Did you know she was bringing Stark?”

“Nope. How much alcohol do you think it will take for you not to not kill him?”

Loki stared at the abrasive billionaire for a moment. “I strongly suspect that depends on who is drinking it.”

“Well, I’m going to have a very, very large something with copious amounts of rum in it. They don’t exactly have wine here...at least, not any wine that you would want to drink,” she said, making a face. “Should I just get a pitcher of beer?”

“Whatever you prefer.” 

“Alrighty then, beer it is.” Darcy got their drinks, handed the pitcher to Loki, and they made their way over to the table.

“Well, well, if it isn’t everyone’s favorite missing intern and her space royalty boyfriend. You’re looking surprisingly low key tonight. Are the antlers in for a cleaning?” Tony leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, and one eyebrow cocked.

“Are you ever not completely an ass?” Darcy asked him, dropping into a chair and motioning for Loki to take the other one. 

“It’s either this or completely charming, he’s got no middle ground,” Jane answered. “And the charming is few and far between.”

“Hey, that hurts, Weird Science,” Tony said in an injured tone. “After everything we’ve been through together, you’re just going to throw me under the bus like that?”

Jane shot him a look and then dryly said, “Yes.”

“I shared pizza with you. Deadly explosions....alien invasions...”

“One alien,” the astrophysicist corrected, “and you were the reason for the explosion.”

“Two,” Stark said, holding up as many fingers. “ _Two aliens_ , one of whom is present right now. Don’t think I didn’t notice you’re ignoring me,” Tony addressed Loki, “because I did.”

“I’m not ignoring you,” Loki replied smoothly. “I am merely assessing the distance between you and that window.” He nodded towards the expanse of plate glass at the front of the bar.

“And the reason for that is?” Tony asked.

“That is simple. Should I find you to be a nuisance, I intend to propel you through it.”

“Aaaaand, I think that’s my cue to pour some beer,” Darcy said, quickly getting between the two of them and filling a glass.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that threatening someone with defenestration isn’t the way to solidify interplanetary relationships?” Tony inquired, holding his now empty glass out to be filled as well. “I take it diplomacy isn’t really big on Alderaan?”

“He means Asgard,” Jane interrupted helpfully.

“Thanks so much, Weird Science. I had no idea you’d appointed yourself my personal translator,” Stark said.

“Um, if it’s okay with everyone else, I was sort of hoping to have my drink without a side of bloodshed,” Darcy interjected. “I’d also like to point out that I haven’t had rum since my first little journey into Asgard, and I am not above stabbing someone to death with my little drink stirrer thing. So what I’m basically saying is that if you screw this up for me, I’ll the one doing the bloodshed. Are we all clear on that?”

Everyone within earshot stared at her for a second with their mouths open. Except Loki. He just looked pleased.

“No. Seriously. This Mojito and I have a spiritual connection. Wreck my drinking experience, and you will suffer. Nod if you understand me.”

Loki smiled at her across the table. “You do realize I would enjoy seeing you shed his blood, yes?”

Darcy just blew him a kiss, and got down the business of spiritually communing with her alcohol.

“So, you said we had things you needed to talk about?” Jane asked after a minute or so of silence.

“Oh. Right. We’re here to talk magical bridges to Narnia and shit. Actually, we need to talk about how you can’t let his brother use the magical bridge to Narnia,” Darcy told them.

Tony gave her a look of admiration. “Narnia, huh? I like you.” He turned to Jane. “I like her.”

“Um, thank you I guess?” she replied. “The thing is, Thor can’t come back to Asgard right now. We’ve got all sorts of stuff going on up there that would not benefit from the presence of his input. Which is where you guys come in. You need to keep him here until Loki can fix things.”

“I don’t like you anymore,” he responded.

“Window,” she said to him with a sweet smile, cocking her head towards Loki.

Tony appeared to consider his options. Unsurprisingly, not getting thrown out the window came out on top. “Are we going to get an explanation of why we’re needed for this? And do you have, I don’t know, a rough estimate on how long we’ll need to babysit your brother?” he asked Loki. “Because as much as I’d love to spend my valuable time keeping a hammer-obsessed mythical god from his home planet… Wait, no. I wouldn’t love that. I’ve got this thing called a life. Do you have those on Asgard? Also, how do you plan on keeping him away from the Einstein-Rosen Bridge? I suppose Jane could continuously ply him with danishes, but the vending machine is going to run out at some point. Then what?”

“You could always switch to poptarts” Darcy offered sarcastically.

“I’m sorry, Intern Formally Known as Missing? The question wasn’t directed at you.”

“Continue speaking to her in that manner, and I will take that little light of yours and feed it to you piece by piece,” Loki said to him.

Stark turned back to Jane. “Are you hearing this? He’s threatening me. I came out here for a drink, and I’m feeling very attacked right now.”

“Why did you bring him, again?” Darcy asked Jane.

“I didn’t. He just came along, and before you blame me for that, you haven’t been working with him for the past three months. You have no idea what it’s like,” she replied. “He has no filter. He does what he wants all the time. He’s sarcastic, rude…”

“I prefer outspoken,” Tony cut in, “and it’s part of my charm.”

“... _rude_ ,” Jane reiterated, “and has no concept of personal boundaries or space.”

“So, it’s like working with me,” Darcy said with a shrug. “Except he’s a rich, entitled man-boy with a rocket suit.”

Jane paused a second and then smiled. “That’s actually sort of accurate.”

“Yup. Is he making sure you eat?”

“Why are you always so concerned with me eating?”

Both Tony and Darcy rolled their eyes.

“I like her again,” Tony said.

“If I may interrupt?” Loki shifted in his chair. “We do have an actual concern to discuss.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Jane said. “Yes. About Thor. Don’t worry, we can keep him away from the bridge. I’ll figure something out.”

“Forgive me, Dr. Foster,” he responded, “but what is keeping my brother from using the bridge right now?”

She reached into her purse and pulled out a keyring with the key to the bridge on it. “I have this. It’s the only one.”

Tony cleared his throat, expression slightly sheepish. “Actually…” He dug around in his pocket and dropped an identical key on the table. Jane gave him look of shock that rapidly changed to irritation. “What? I had J.A.R.V.I.S. make a copy. Sue me.”

She just pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed wearily. “Okay, so we have two keys, and they are both here. He can’t use it without them.”

“And the hammer?” Loki inquired.

“Still stuck in the desert about five miles from here. Thor couldn’t lift it, and neither could anything Nick tried,” Tony said. 

The God of Mischief nodded. “Good. We must keep it that way. My brother cannot return until all threat of attack from Jötunheim is averted.”

“Which bring us back to my original questions. What the hell is a yotunham, and is there any time frame on the babysitting?” Tony asked, taking a long pull on his beer.

Dary rubbed her hand over her eyes. “Okay, quick Asgardian history lesson. Jötunheim…”

“It’s a realm of ice and snow populated by beings known as Frost Giants,” Jane interrupted, rapidly scrolling through the Starkpad she’d brought in her bag, and handing it to Tony. “They have never exactly gotten along with Asgard. Thor recently angered their king, Laufey, by invading Jötunheim in retaliation to an attempt of theft on Asgard. He was banished for it, but Laufey has still declared war on Asgard.”

“Wait, you _knew_ about this?” Tony said. “What the fuck, Weird Science. How long did you know about this, and why wasn’t I told?”

“I just found out today,” she told him. “Darcy filled me in when I went over to see her.”

Stark’s head bent over the tablet for a second, and then he held it up so they could all see it. “Are they really this big?”

They all looked at the illustration briefly. Darcy ended up catching Loki’s eye and choking on her drink. The drawing looked nothing like a Jötunn. It was huge, that part was accurate, but it was all furry and sort of looked like the Abominable Snow Monster from the old stop-motion Rudolph movie. 

“Wow. That’s really...something. Most of them are that big, but they seriously look nothing like that,” she answered.

“You’ve seen one?” Tony sounded incredulous.

Darcy tried to keep a straight face. “Once or twice. I’ve been to Jötunheim.” She'd also totally had sex with one all over her apartment that afternoon, but _that_ was absolutely none of Tony’s business.

Loki seemed to be thinking of the same thing as his eyes raked over her, causing her cheeks to flame with heat. She recalled the way he had shuddered when her mouth closed over his frosty, blue…

“Do you two need a minute?” Tony asked with a smirk, abruptly ending her reverie.

“No. We’re good,” she replied. “Why don’t we get back to why Thor needs to stay here, or all hell will break loose on Asgard.”

“Right,” he said, still sort of smirking at her. “So, Space Tarzan angered this Ice Giant…”

“Frost Giant,” Jane said.

“...whatever,” he continued, “and this guy decided the only way his realm won’t go to war with your realm is if your brother stays here. Does that about sum it up?”

“One of the stipulations of peace between Asgard and Jötunheim is that Thor does not return, yes,” Loki explained.

“So, we’re talking indefinite, then?” Tony scratched the back of his neck. “Yeeeeah, I’m not sure I can do indefinite. No offense, your brother’s very pretty, but I’m not really looking for a commitment here. Dr. Foster on the other hand…”

“No,” Jane said quickly. “I’m not interested in Thor. Not that I won’t help, because I will. I’ll definitely help.”

 _If you think they cannot do it, I may have to take other precautions_ , scrolled across Darcy’s cuff.

 _I know_ , she sent back. _It couldn't hurt to do it anyway, just in case. What did you have in mind?_

“See that?” Tony asked Jane. “They’re doing that weird telepathic thing again.” He narrowed his eyes at Darcy. “Let me see your bracelet.”

She rubbed her thumb over the surface to erase any lingering words, and held her wrist up. Tony leaned forward, studying the cuff intently, but finally made a face and sat back in his seat.

“Happy now?” Darcy asked.

“I don’t know how you’re doing it, but I know it has something to do with these bracelets. If you ever intend to sell that technology…”

“Enough,” Loki snapped. 

“This is going well,” Darcy said with a sigh. “Can we just count on you two to keep Thor busy or what? You have no idea how crazy it is on Asgard right now. We really need your help, or Loki is going to end up with a war on his hands. Do you really want to be responsible for a war, Tony? I thought you were supposed to be one of the good guys.”

“Awww, Intern Formally Known as Missing, are you appealing to my sense of justice? That’s sweet.” Stark stopped talking for a second to take another sip of beer. “Fine. I’ll help, but I’m going to expect a visit to Asgard out of this.”

Loki started to open his mouth, but before he could respond, Darcy said, “Done.” 

Her bracelet immediately lit up with, _Are you mad?_

 _No,_ she replied, trying to be patient. _I’m saving your ass. Did you have a better idea?_

His nostrils flared, but he didn’t say anything back, just turned and stared out the window.

“Now they’re fighting telepathically. This is actually pretty entertaining. I kind of wish I had popcorn,” Tony said to Jane.

“There is another matter I wished to discuss with Dr. Foster,” Loki said, with no indication that he’d heard Tony’s last comment. 

Stark held his hand up. “Just a second. There’s one thing here that doesn’t add up. You keep saying Loki is going to have a war on his hands. Isn’t his father the one who’d be dealing with Old Icy Britches and his yeti snowtroopers? How did this become your boyfriend’s problem?”

“My father is dead,” Loki replied smoothly. “I am King of Asgard.”

Jane blinked in confusion. “But I thought Darcy said…” She trailed off as Darcy started coughing loudly into her fist while swiftly drawing the fingers of her other hand across her throat.. “...that is so sad. My condolences on your loss.”

“I don’t know what just happened here, but if we were playing poker I would have cleaned house just now,” Stark said.

“We are not playing poker, thus I find your levity at the situation infelicitous. My father has died. I am grieving. Show some respect.”

Darcy felt a little sick at Loki’s ability to lie about some so serious with such ease. She wished he’d never been dishonest about Odin with Thor in the first place, because now they had to roll with it, and a very big part of her felt like it was going to come back to bite them in the ass. Hard.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Stark said, looking like he didn’t believe a word of it.

“What was the other matter you wanted to discuss?” Jane asked Loki.

“Nicholas Fury. As long as your bridge remains within S.H.I.E.L.D.’s possession, he has access to my realm, and possibly any of the other nine. I am sure you can understand my unease with this fact,” he replied.

“I do,” Jane said warily. “What do you suggest?”

“I would prefer if it were moved off-site, out of his reach. However, the fact that my brother is also currently housed within S.H.I.E.L.D. makes the situation more complicated.” Loki frowned.

“What if I told him that we wanted to expand the range, but it would require moving it to Stark Industries?” Tony asked. 

“You gonna move Thor to Stark Industries too?” Darcy looked at him skeptically. They all sat in silence for a moment, then Darcy thought of something. “What about a double? Make a double of the bridge. Keep the fake at S.H.I.E.L.D., and move the real one back to Jane’s lab here in Puente Antiguo. That way she can still work on it, and Fury won’t know.”

“That might work,” Jane agreed. “I could just tell him that I’m tired of living on a base now that we have it up and running, and insist on going back to my apartment.”

“Oh yeah, that's a great plan. It's simple, concise...completely impossible,” Tony said sarcastically. “Nicky might be a lot things, but gullible isn’t one of them. He probably has this town crawling with surveillance right now. You do anything out of the ordinary, and he’s going to know it.”

Darcy poked Loki. “Can you fix that? Like, hide the bridge or something?”

“It would take a considerable amount of skill, and energy, but yes, I could create a spell to cloak the device. The real problem lies in the surveillance. As much as it pains me to say this, Anthony is correct. I could disarm it, but once we leave, there is nothing stopping Fury from setting up more.”

Tony watched the exchange, but it was clear he was deep in thought. “As long as the bridge was invisible, I could probably create a program that tricked the surveillance with false footage, and have J.A.R.V.I.S. install it.”

“We’d need it by tonight,” Darcy said. “Can you do that?”

“I made a highly sophisticated, fully automatic, weaponized, robotic suit out of scrap metal and a devil may care attitude, I’m sure I can create a computer virus with looping footage by the time you have to get back to Alderaan,” he retorted.

“Asgard,” Jane corrected again.

“Don’t care,” Tony said in an offhand tone.

“Okay, this has been awesome, but if we want it to to work, we should probably get started. Jane’s bridge thingy isn’t going to steal itself.” Darcy picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder in preparation to leave.

Jane stood up and pointed to the little hall that led to the bathrooms. “Before we get started, do you mind if we just hit the ladies room?”

“Oh, um, yeah. That’s fine.” She glanced nervously at Loki and Tony. “That snake and death thing still stands,” she ordered, pointing at Loki. “I mean it.”

He gave her a small nod of acknowledgement, and Darcy edged out between the tables, following Jane to the bathroom. Once inside, Jane stopped and faced her with a concerned expression.

“Darcy, are you sure about this? He’s obviously lying about his father, which means he lied to Thor, otherwise he wouldn’t have told Tony Odin is dead. You said he was in a coma, and I know that’s the truth.”

Darcy bit her lip. “Yeah, I know. I told him it was a bad idea, but that was _after_ he’d already told Thor. He’s just trying to keep him on Earth.”

“By lying? What if Thor finds out?”

“I know, I know…” she replied in frustration. “Believe me, I’m worried about that too.”

“It’s not just the lying I’m worried about, though,” Jane said hesitantly. “Darcy, are you sure about _him_? He seems kind of…”

“Volatile?” Darcy suggested.

Her friend leaned back against the row of sinks. “That’s one word for it.”

“Loki’s complicated. Trust me, I’m fully aware of just how complicated he is, but I love him for it. He loves me for my complications too. I know I probably sound like one of those girls trying to defend a crazy relationship right now, but what we have isn’t crazy.” She stopped for a moment, considering. “Well, okay, sometimes it’s crazy, but it’s also beautiful, and reciprocal, and strangely perfect for us. We just make sense together, Jane. We make sense in a way I've never had with anyone.” 

Jane nodded. “Okay. If you say so, then I believe you. I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“I know you are," Darcy said with affection. "You’re like my absent-minded astrophysicist mom person.”

“I’m not absent minded!” she protested.

“Uh, yeah you are. You forget to eat, Jane,” Darcy pointed out. “That’s pretty absent-minded seeing as how it will eventually lead to death. Actual death. From starvation. Because you can’t stop sciencing for ten minutes to stick a bagel in your face.”

“Sciencing isn’t a real word,” Jane said.

“That’s what you took away from what I said?” She shook her head. “I’m not even sure what to say about that.”

“Fine, I might be a little absent-minded,” the other girl acquiesced.

Darcy grinned. “A little, huh? Anyway, are we done in here, or did you actually have to pee? And now that I’ve said that, I have to pee. Why does thinking of having to pee make you totally want to pee?”

“Well,” Jane began, “it’s actually a really interesting autonomic response, caused by…”

“Rhetorical, Jane. Rhetorical,” Darcy called over her shoulder as she pushed open a stall door. “Why do you even know that? It has nothing to do with astrophysics.”

“Just because it’s not my focus of study, doesn’t mean I’m not interested in it. I find the workings of the body fascinating actually.”

“Nerd.”

“Excuse me, but that's Dr. Nerd to you,” Jane said. "I didn't spend all that time and energy earning my degree just to have my PhD ignored by some peasant intern."

"Oooooh, buuuuuuuurn," Darcy giggled. "Seriously, and people think you lack a sense of humor."

"I'm full of surprises."

"Yes you are, Dr. Nerd. Yes you are."

Five minutes later they walked back out to find Tony showing Loki something on the Starkpad. Jane’s eyes widened at the sight.

“No. He wouldn’t,” she muttered.

“What?” Darcy asked.

“The horse thing,” Jane replied.

Darcy’s brow furrowed, “What horse thing?”

“This horse thing,” Tony said gleefully, handing her the Starkpad while Loki looked daggers at him.

Her eyes scanned the page for a second, and her jaw dropped. “Um, Loki???”

“No,” he said decidedly.

“No?” She glanced up at him and then back at the screen.

“No.”

“Really?” Tony asked, looking slightly disappointed.

Loki shot him a look so poisonous that Darcy actually shivered. “No,” he repeated a final time.

“Eh, probably for the best,” Tony said with a shrug. 

She sighed with relief. “Anyway, if he _did_ have animal babies wandering around Asgard, they’d probably be snakes.”

Tony started to laugh, and Jane groaned. Then he cocked his head in the direction of the Starkpad and said, “Try page six.”


	42. While the Cat's Away...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ærndís finds an opening for her plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't long, but I really wanted to post it. :) I have a feeling my writing might go pretty quickly now. I'm so excited about the last chapter, and I'm really dying to get there. Plus I have this other fic that is desperate to be written, and won't leave me alone. :D So, get ready, because Ærndís is about to make all kinds of trouble.
> 
> ********************************************************************************

Lady Ærndís couldn’t believe her luck. She had been patiently waiting for an opportunity to speak with Thor’s friends about the Pretender King’s treachery for weeks. When she discovered Loki had secretly absconded to Midgard with his pet mortal, Ærndís felt like she’d been given a gift. Even better, the Warriors Three had returned to court in his absence.

If ever there was a time to strike, it was now. Her Queen had quietly assumed the role of ruler while Loki was away, and was far too busy to notice one of her ladies going missing for a short period. Besides, Ærndís might never again be afforded such a chance. 

Stealing away from Halla and Káta under the pretense of fetching more thread for their never-ending sewing, Lady Ærndís made her way down to the chamber where Thor’s friends were gathered. She found sitting them disconsolately around the fire, goblets in their hands, with a large tray of food set between them.

“Lady Ærndís,” Fandral said, somewhat startled at her sudden appearance. “Is there some way in which we can help you, my lady?”

Both Hogun and Volstagg turned at his words. Volstagg looked pleased to see her, but Hogun seemed slightly suspicious. 

“How glad I am to find you all back at court,” she began politely. “I had hoped to speak with you about a matter most distressing.”

“Of course, my lady. Please, sit down.” Volstagg stood up and offered her his own chair.

She waved the offer of a seat away. “No, thank you. I would much rather stand.”

“As you wish. We are listening,” he said.

“I hardly know where to begin,” Ærndís stated. “I must know before I speak that what I say will not leave this room, and that I will not be punished for it. It might be considered...treason...to tell you what I know.”

The three men shared a look of wary concern. Volstagg remained standing behind his chair, both hands clasped on the high back. 

“You may be assured of our discretion,” Fandral said warmly. "We would never do anything to endanger a lady such as yourself."

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, with a sigh of relief. “It is not everyday that one speaks out against one’s king.”

“When you say one’s king, I assume you do not mean the Allfather,” Hogun said, finally joining the conversation.

“No,” Lady Ærndís replied, shifting her eyes away for a moment. “I do not.”

The Vanir nodded. “Then continue.”

“I am afraid that he is not what he seems, and what he is may be putting all of Asgard in danger. I also believe Lady Darcy is aiding and abetting him in in his deception.” She conveniently left out how the Queen was aware of what Loki was. Ærndís was no fool. Speaking out against Loki, and his new paramour was one thing. Speaking out against the much beloved Queen Frigga was another. If she wanted to keep their ear, and gain their trust, she would have to tread carefully.

“I do not understand,” Fandral said. “What is it that you believe Loki to be?”

She shook her head, looking down at her hands, fingers twisting together in front of her. “Several weeks ago, I was walking in the gardens when I came upon Loki and Lady Darcy cavorting in an abandoned folly. That in itself, though inappropriate, was not such a terrible thing. The King is at his liberty to have indiscretions. It was what they said and did which frightened me.” Ærndís paused a moment for effect. “I saw him remove a glamour from Lady Darcy. We have been told that she is from Vanaheim, but without the glamour, it was clear the woman is Midgardian.”

Fandral’s eyes narrowed at this. “Is she? Well, well. That is certainly a puzzle piece falling into place. I have long suspected there might be more to her.” He chuckled. “Quite sly of Loki, too, if she is the Midgardian Thor and I met when we caught him slinking about the hunting lodge. But this alone is not dangerous. As you said, Loki is at his liberty to take a lover.”

“I would not have brought it to your attention if that were all,” Ærndís replied, “but it is not. After he had removed the glamour from her, he removed one from himself as well.”

“Loki is a shapeshifter,” Volstagg said with a shrug. “We are all aware of that.”

“No, I fear you do not understand. He did not merely change appearance, he shifted entirely into another form, and what is worse, they both spoke of it as his true form,” she said. It was only half a lie. She had seen them dallying in the folly after all. What did it matter that the revelation of what he was came later?

Hogun shifted impatiently in his chair. “Well? What did he become?”

Here was her moment. She allowed her eyes to widen slightly, as if afraid, and said, “A Frost Giant.”

“What?” Hogun questioned sharply, rising up from his seat. “This is a serious accusation. Explain yourself.”

Ærndís took a step back, the fear in her eyes suddenly a bit more real. “It is true. We have not been told the whole truth of his origins. The man currently ruling Asgard is not a man at all, but a Jötunn. I saw it with my own eyes. I _heard_ him speak of it with the girl as if it were nothing. What is worse, he claims to be Laufey’s son!”

The three men seemed staggered. Volstagg’s normally ruddy complexion paled, and Fandral set his cup down carefully, as if it had suddenly become incredibly heavy.

“If you are lying…” Hogun began.

“I am not,” she retorted. “Would I have risked my life come here, knowing that the act would be considered treasonous, if I were lying? The King of Asgard is not Æsir. He is a Frost Giant, who has been concealing a Midgardian at court, and secretly traveling to both Jötunheim and Midgard these past weeks. The entire realm is in his palm right now. What if he intends to hand it over to Laufey?”

Volstagg turned his chair about, and sagged into it. It creaked in protest at the sudden addition of his weight, but he ignored it. “What shall we do?” he asked the others.

Hogun began pulling several healing stones out of the fire, tucking them into a small pouch at his side. “It is simple. We must go to Midgard, and bring Thor home.”

“It’s treason, Hogun,” Fandral cautioned

“To hell with treason,” Volstagg replied. “It’s suicide.” Hogun looked about to protest, and he held up a massive hand to stop him. “We must be quiet. There are Einherjar stationed outside, and you never know when Heimdall may be listening. Our only chance of succeeding in this is to tell him we have been given permission to visit Thor.”

“Permission from whom?” Fandral sputtered in a loud whisper. “Loki? Heimdall will never believe that.”

“Then it is just as well that Loki is not on Asgard at the moment, and Her Majesty, Queen Frigga is ruling in his stead,” Ærndís said calmly. She was desperately trying to hide her sense of triumph. It was almost comical how easy they have been to manipulate. “Just tell Heimdall she has given you permission to visit. He knows what a tender heart she has. How could she possibly turn down such a request from her son’s dearest friends? I will even go along, to back your claims.”

“You would put yourself in danger like that? Why?” Hogun asked.

“I would do far more protect the realm I love from a dangerous pretender,” she replied. “You three are the heroes of Asgard. Aligning myself with you would be an honor.”

“Are we really doing this?” Fandral gazed at each of his friends in turn. “Are we going to rescue Thor?”

“I am,” Volstagg said firmly.

Hogun gave a quick nod. “I am.”

“Then I am as well, and the gods help us all,” Fandral said.

“There is one, small thing, though,” Ærndís told them with a slight twist to her mouth. “As I said, Loki is not here at the moment.”

“Let me guess,” Fandral replied. “He is on Midgard?”

“He is.”

“Then we will take all precautions to remain inconspicuous,” Volstagg said.

Ærndís let her eyes roam over each of them for a brief moment, and wondered if her plan was completely doomed to failure. Oh well. One could only do one’s best. 

That is wise,” she said. “As I understand it, he may return at any time. So I would make haste if I were you.”

“I will have the horses readied.” Hogun headed for the door. “Volstagg you gather supplies, Fandral, find us enough food to last for a few days in case we need to shelter there.”

“Why am I not in charge of food?” Volstagg asked, sounding as if someone had kicked a puppy in his presence.

“Because we would like to have some for the actual journey,” Fandral replied, waving at the tray of food which was half-empty already.

“It is a good thing no one ever puts you in charge of procuring women,” Volstagg responded. “or there would not be one remaining in all the Nine for any of us.”

Ærndís rubbed her hand over her eyes in frustration. Thank the Allfather that she had a secondary plan put in place in case this one failed. At the moment it was being carried out by two complete imbeciles, and what amounted to their zoo keeper.

“I should return to the Queen’s chambers before I am missed. When shall I meet you at the Bifrost?” she asked.

“We will send word to you when we are ready,” Fandral said. “Should you decide not to join us…”

“You need have no fear of that. I will not change my mind.” Ærndís caught her skirts up in one hand, preparing to leave. “I will await your message. Farewell until then.” She swept out, not staying to hear their replies.

Fandral and Volstagg watched her go. 

“Do you trust her?” Fandral asked the other warrior.

“She is the Queen’s lady,” Volstagg replied. “I have never known her to do aught but serve Frigga well. Hogun believed her. That is good enough for me.”

He turned, eyes fixed on the rapidly shrinking figure of Ærndís as she disappeared down the corridor. “I hope you are right my friend,” he said thoughtfully. “I hope you are right.”


	43. No More Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sif's loyalty is tested. (I'd say more, but the spoiler-factor here is huge.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said things were going to get crazy? Consider this the starting point of that.
> 
> **************************************************************************

Miraculously, they got project Hide the Einstein-Rosen Bridge working with only one minor hitch. Tony’s virus took longer than he intended to activate. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like S.H.I.E.L.D. had noticed the discrepancy in the footage. He’d programmed an amazing amount of artificial video mixed with actual looping footage complete with corresponding audio. Darcy was pretty damn impressed by it.

Loki seemed much more relaxed once the bridge was safely away from the reach of both his brother and Nick Fury. They tied up all the loose ends, and returned to Asgard. He decided not to call on Heimdall, instead using the secret passageway between the realms that they’d discovered a few months earlier.

It was the middle of the night when they arrived, Darcy yawning behind her hand. All she wanted to do was drop into bed and stay there for the foreseeable future. Or possibly longer. Once Loki had teleported them back to his rooms, she trudged over to the longship and crawled onto it, still in her clothes. 

“I need to go and speak with my mother,” he said. “Will you be alright?”

“Are you kidding? I probably won’t even move,” Darcy replied. 

His lips pressed to hers briefly. “I will be back before you know it.”

“Okay,” she said, most the word lost in a sleepy sigh.

She heard the door open and then quietly shut behind him. Then there was no sound in the room but the crackling of the fire in the fireplace. Darcy closed her eyes, allowing herself to be lulled into a semi-sleeping state. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before the bed dipped next to her with his weight.

“Mmm,” Darcy said. “You’re here. Can you do the naked thing?” She waved her hand over her body to indicate her dress and tights.

Loki leaned over her, lips twitching into an almost-grin. “That’s quite a request.”

“Pleeeeeease. I’m so tired,” Darcy whined. “I’ll even let you take advantage of me if you want. Just don’t wake me up.”

He laughed, the sound of it spilling out into the quiet room. “Ridiculous mortal.”

She felt a low hum of magic around her as her clothes melted away into nothing. 

“Mmm,” she said, stretching contentedly on top of the covers. “ _So_ much better.”

“We are in complete agreement,” Loki said, and she swatted at him half-heartedly.

“Blankets,” Darcy mumbled. 

“Is that a request, or a statement?”

“Head on pillow, blankets on.” She couldn’t see the amused smile on his face through her closed eyes, but she knew it was there. There was a shift in the bed, then a bunch of rustling, and she found herself moved and covered up. 

“Hm,” he said thoughtfully, “that has spoiled the view entirely.”

Darcy just stuck her tongue out at him and rolled over. “Shhhh, human sleeping here.” A few seconds later the blankets rustled again, and Loki spooned up behind her. A long arm slipped around her waist, pulling her close. She sighed happily. “I hope your dreams are pretty, Mischief.”

His lips on her shoulder was the last thing she felt before going to sleep.

********************************************************************************

The next day, Darcy woke in her own bed. Loki must have moved her after he got up. She puttered around her room, eating some of the breakfast on the tray that had been sent up. After about an hour of blissfully doing nothing, she got dressed, and went to join the other ladies in Frigga’s rooms. On her way there, she ran into Sif, who was headed in the same direction, a grim expression on her face.

“Darcy,” she said in an agitated tone, “have you seen any of the Warriors Three this morning?”

“Um, no. I didn’t even know they’d come back.”

“Yes. They returned to the palace two days ago, but when I went to speak with them this morning, I could not find any of them. No one seems to be aware of them leaving court either. It is quite strange. I was just going to ask Her Majesty if she knew anything of it.” 

Darcy didn’t like the idea of them returning while Loki was away, but she liked the thought of them suddenly disappearing again even less. “I’m going there too. Can I help?”

“I would be glad of your company,” Sif said. 

“Awesome.” She fell into step beside the other girl, and they were given entry into Frigga’s apartments.

The Queen was sitting in one of the large, open windows, eyes fixed on an unrolled scroll in her hands. When she noticed Darcy and Sif approaching, she set it down and greeted them warmly. “Lady Sif, Lady Darcy, how lovely to see you both.” She then seemed to take in their faces, and stood. “You have news.”

“More like questions,” Darcy said.

Frigga nodded. “I see. I hope I will have the answers you seek.”

“Your Majesty,” Sif began, “have you sent the Warriors Three on any quests during the absence of the King?”

As Sif spoke, Darcy noticed both Káta and Halla looking up from their needlework with interest. Ærndís, however, kept her face down, but Darcy could see a small, satisfied smile hovering around her lips. It was enough to make her stomach twist. If Ærndís was involved, whatever it was couldn’t be good. 

“Quests?” Frigga’s brow furrowed. “No. All has been very quiet in the realm, and my son was gone such a short time. Why do you ask?”

Sif frowned. “They were to meet me on the practice field this morning, but never appeared. I went looking and could find no sign of them.”

“Surely they must be here. Are they in none of their usual haunts?” the Queen asked.

“I have checked them all, Your Majesty. It is as if they disappeared into thin air. I questioned our mutual friends, and they had no ideas as to where they might be. It is concerning enough that I thought to bring it to you.”

“Your concern is for their safety?” Frigga's gaze was intent as she asked the question. 

“No. I am afraid not,” Sif answered in a low tone.

“Indeed,” the Queen replied, immediately recognizing what Sif meant. She turned to the other ladies. “I wish speak to the Lady Sif, and the Lady Darcy in private.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Halla said, gathering up her things. 

The other two ladies followed suit, murmuring their acquiescence and preparing to leave. Frigga stood serenely before them, the only outward sign of her impatience was a slight thinning of her lips as she watched them. Finally the three women left, and the Queen led them into a smaller, more private room to discuss matters further.

When she began again she didn’t mince any words. “You suspect they have gone to get Thor.”

Darcy gaped. “Earth? They’ve gone to _Earth_?”

Sif paused a moment. “Do you not mean Midgard?”

“Oh, right. Yes. Sorry.” She could feel her cheeks coloring. “I’ve been um, studying some Midgardian books in the library, and the language must have rubbed off on me. You know how it is.”

“No,” Frigga said. “we cannot keep up this pretense any longer. I am sorry Darcy, but if those fools have truly journeyed to Midgard, I will need your help in stopping them. You are the only one familiar with where they have gone, and you will need to be yourself if we hope to gain access. The time for concealment is over.” She lifted both her hands to the top of Darcy’s head and swept them downwards, removing her glamour as she went.

Darcy started to panic, waiting for the angry, betrayed outburst from Sif she was sure would follow, but it never came. 

“You are Midgardian,” the other girl said calmly. “I had wondered.”

“You aren’t mad?” Darcy asked in disbelief. 

“I have known you could not be from Vanaheim for some time. However, as Her Majesty seemed to be fully aware of the secret, I knew it should be protected. Truthfully, I prefer you looking less like Loki,” she added with a smile.

“You’re serious? This…” Darcy waved her hand in front of her face. “...doesn’t matter?”

“I do not like being lied to, but I believe it was a necessary deception. Was our friendship also a deception?” Sif inquired.

“Absolutely not.”

“Then I see no issue. The Queen of Asgard trusts you. That is good enough for me.”

“There. See?” Frigga interrupted. “All is well. Now, we have far more important things to discuss. Sif, you have not answered my question. Do you believe they have found a way to reach Thor?” 

Still reeling slightly, Darcy could only listen as the two women talked.

“I do not know how they could have reached Midgard without the help of Heimdall,” Sif said. 

Frigga shook her head. “Heimdall would never betray the crown. His vows are his very life.”

“Unless someone told him you’d ordered it,” Darcy said slowly, beginning to understand the satisfied smirk she’d seen on Ærndís’ face.

“What is it you are saying Darcy?” Loki’s mother asked. “That one of my household is not loyal?” 

“I don’t want to look like I’m trying to make trouble, because it’s not a secret she doesn’t like me but…”

“Ærndís,” Sif guessed, her face full of dislike.

“Yeah,” Darcy agreed. “Ærndís. I’ve noticed her kind of sneaking around Loki and me, and when we came in here today, she had this weird look on her face. It was like she already knew what was up.”

Frigga started to pace in a short, tight line. “That is a strong accusation. Unfortunately, I have begun to suspect she was up to something myself, although I had not considered she was plotting more than a bit of jealous spite against you, Darcy. I have tried to keep an eye on her, but with the Allfather so ill it has been difficult.”

“Would Heimdall have accepted her word?” Darcy asked.

“He has no reason to doubt the word of one of my ladies. Unless he was specifically watching Ærndís for treachery, I am afraid there is the possibility that her intentions evaded his notice,” the Queen answered. “If she _was_ involved. Which is still a matter of debate. No matter what we suspect, accusing one of my own ladies of such a thing troubles me a great deal. These women have offered me their loyalty. If she is plotting against my son, then that loyalty means nothing.”

“We must assume she has,” Sif said, “Our time is limited, and if those three idiots have gone to bring Thor home, then a great deal of damage could have been done already.

“More than you know,” Darcy said, licking her lips nervously. “Sif, Loki and I just got back from Midgard. Thor thinks…” She cleared her throat, bracing for the worst. “Thor thinks his father is dead.”

“Dead???” Sif gasped. “Why would he think that?”

“It was a dangerous lie, and I told Loki as much when he came to me last night,” Frigga said, shaking her head sadly. “Laufey’s bargain for peace included Thor’s death. Loki was attempting to keep him hidden on Midgard in order to trick Laufey, and protect his brother. He thought believing his father to be dead would prevent Thor from trying to return home. I wish he had not said it, even more so now. Thor will be ready to believe any sort of aspersions cast on his brother if that is revealed to be a lie.”

“Yes, but there is little else for them to complain of. As much as it pains me to say it, Loki has done well in his time on the throne. What else could they possibly say?” Sif inquired.

Darcy and Frigga exchanged a glance. Ærndís had proven herself to be extremely adept at sneaking around. If she knew what Loki really was, and had told Thor’s friends, the fallout could be nuclear. 

“Frigga, are you considering sending Sif and me down there to stop them?” she asked.

“I am,” Frigga replied.

“And you think maybe they know that one really sensitive thing about um, blue related issues?” 

“We have to consider it as a possibility. If they are aware of it, they will surely tell Thor.”

Darcy nodded. “Then we need to tell Sif. I can’t get down there, have her suddenly find out, and desert me to side with them."

“Desert you? Why would I do that?” Sif’s eyes moved warily between the two of them.

Loki’s mother gave Sif a strained smile. “I think we should sit down.” 

“Please,” Darcy said, once they were all seated. “Please, Sif, try to keep an open mind here. Just think of what you said about me. My face doesn’t matter right? Because I’m still the same person you’ve known this whole time.”

“Darcy, I do not understand,” Sif replied hesitantly. “What is it that you haven’t told me?”

“It’s not about Darcy,” Frigga said to her. “It concerns Loki.”

Sif looked completely confused. “What about Loki?”

“Sif, you may tell no one what what I am about to tell you. I will have your word on that.” Frigga leaned forward, reaching across the space between their chairs and set her hand on Sif’s. "Loki's life would be in danger if it got out."

Sif glanced down at Frigga’s hand, and then back at her face in alarm. “Of course Your Majesty. You have my word. Whatever it is, I shall speak of it to no one.” 

The Queen relaxed a tiny bit, sitting back in her chair before she spoke. “Odin and I consider Loki our son, and we have always raised him to believe that he is was also of our blood, but that is not so. When Thor was young, Odin brought home an infant that he had found in battle. In order to protect that child, it was imperative that the entire realm believed he was ours. We fabricated a story that I had fallen pregnant before the King led his forces into war, and that the child was born just as he was returning in triumph. Even Thor believed it. He was small enough when it happened that we could mold his memories, and the truth became what we told him it was.” Frigga exhaled heavily before continuing. “Loki never knew his true origins until just recently. Odin believed it would be safer for him that way, and I reluctantly agreed, but I was never truly comfortable with the lie.”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, I do not understand,” Sif broke in. “You said Loki was found in battle. There was only one war around the time of Loki’s birth, and that was…”

“Yes. The war with the Frost Giants,” the Queen confirmed.

“You adopted an Æsir infant abandoned in battle?” The girl warrior looked astounded. “How would the babe even have gotten there? The war was fought on Jötunheim.”

“I did not say the child was Æsir,” Frigga corrected quietly.

If Darcy thought Sif looked astounded before, it was nothing to how she looked now. All the color blanched out of her face, and she clutched the arms of her chair like they were the only thing keeping her anchored to Asgard. 

“Open mind, Sif,” Darcy pleaded. “Remember?”

She swallowed audibly and then said, “You are telling me Loki is...Jötunn? The King of Asgard is a Frost Giant?”

“He is,” Frigga said. “He is also my son, and the son of Odin Allfather.”

Sif shifted so she was facing Darcy and demanded, “How long have you known?”

“Not long,” she replied. “I found out when Loki did. It was devastating for him. It still is, actually. He doesn’t want to be what he considers a monster, even though I keep telling him he’s not.” 

It hurt just talking about how much self-loathing Loki had since he found what he was. Darcy was praying that Sif could accept something even Loki himself couldn’t. It felt like a huge longshot, but what other options were there? If they were going down to Earth to try and fix the situation, his heritage could get brought up, and Sif needed to be on board no matter what.

“Open mind, open mind, open mind,” Darcy chanted under her breath. _Come on, Sif. Please._

“Loki is your King, Sif,” Frigga said gently. “You took an oath of loyalty to protect this realm, and its ruler.”

“You have always been aware of what he is?” Sif asked Frigga.

“Since the moment Odin placed him in my arms,” she replied. “And you have known Loki nearly all of your life. He is no more, and no less than he always has been. Will you allow this small bit of knowledge to change all of that? Sif, this realm needs you. I love Thor as much as any mother ever loved a child, and I want him home again desperately. But his fate was decided by the Allfather himself. He must earn his way home. If he returns to Asgard now, we will end up in a war we cannot win without terrible consequences. If we do win, which is not assured. Your Queen is asking you to help prevent that. Are you able to do it?”

There was a long stretch where Sif stared down at her hands without responding. Darcy chewed her lip in trepidation. Finally, she looked up.

“I will not abandon my vows," she said to Frigga, then she turned to Darcy, " and I will not desert you. You have my word and my silence.”

The air rushed out of Darcy’s lungs in a huge, relieved whoosh. “Oh my God, Sif, thank you so much!” She gave Sif a rather awkwardly returned hug, and then stood back, bouncing on her toes. “When do we leave?”

“I think as soon as possible would be best,” Frigga responded. “Go and make yourselves ready. I will have horses saddled for you both.”

Darcy froze. A horse. Oh God. Nope. She could do this. “Okay. I’ll meet you both down in front of the stables as soon as I’m ready. We aren’t telling Loki about this, are we?”

“No,” his mother agreed. “I think it is best if he does not know. It is entirely possible that Sif will be able to talk some sense into Thor’s friends, and Loki need never know you went.”

“Right. Got it. I’ll try to get ready as fast as I can. See you soon.” She got halfway out of the room, realized how abrupt that was, and attempted a horribly executed curtsy. “Sorry.”

“Darcy,” Frigga said urgently, “ _Go!_ ”

“Yep. Going, going. Totally going.” She turned and practically ran out of the room.

It took Darcy twenty minutes to get into her armor, and another ten to get down to the stables while circumventing any corridors Loki might be using. She ran across the yard, sword clanking against her thigh in its scabbard. 

“I’m here!” she shouted, waving to Frigga and Sif, who were standing next to the horses.

Sif had her usual mount. Darcy had no idea what its name was, but she noticed with shock that Frigga had Stjarna saddled for her. 

“That’s Loki’s horse,” she said nervously, looking up at the huge stallion.

“I chose him because he is familiar with you,” Frigga replied. “Darcy, we do not have time for you to question me in this.”

She tried to tamp down her anxiety. “Yeah, I know. Sorry. He’s a great horse. I’m not terrified or anything. We’ll be fine.”

One the grooms came forward to help her up, and Darcy found herself astride Stjarna and looking at the ground that seemed way too far below her feet before she was fully prepared. 

“Listen, Stjarna,” she said. “I’m not very good at this, so I’m trusting you not to kill me. I’ll just sit here, and you do your thing, and we’ll be okay.”

The horse responded with a low whinny, shaking his head and making his mane ripple all over. 

“Lean forward,” Sif suggested.

“Why?” Darcy asked, gripping the reins and doing as Sif had instructed.

“Because,” Sif replied, her own horse rearing a bit, “we are about to fly.”

Darcy wasn’t even allowed a split second of response time before Sif smacked Stjarna on the rump and he shot forward. She followed with her own horse, and they bolted out of the stable, hooves pounding.

“Oh my GOD! I’m going to kill you!” Darcy shrieked at her, but Sif just laughed.

“Keep your head down, and allow yourself to move along with him. You look like a sack of potatoes,” she shouted back.

“Yeah well, I feel like one!” Darcy attempted to do what Sif said, and the ride became somewhat less awful, but only somewhat. She was still on a horse after all.

Sif was right about one thing. It did feel like they were flying as the horses galloped down the Bifrost. To her immense surprise, Heimdall was already in place to open the bridge when they arrived.

“Her Majesty has commanded that I allow you passage into Midgard,” he said to them in a deep voice, as they slid off the horses.

“Thank you, Heimdall,” Sif said, striding towards the portal.

Darcy followed her over, wondering what the trip would be like without Loki to hang onto. It turned out to be sort of cool. Her body felt completely weightless as it blazed through the multi-hued tunnel. They landed just outside her apartment building. Sif seemed completely unaffected, but Darcy stumbled drunkenly as her feet touched down.

“Where do we go from here?” Sif asked, already sizing up the amount of town she could see.

“My place,” Darcy replied. “I need to make a call.”

They had just turned towards her building, when she spotted three familiar figures walking straight up the middle of the street into Puente Antiguo in full Asgardian armor.

“Or not,” she said, pointing.

Sif looked in the direction of Darcy’s finger, and squared her shoulders. “Are you ready?”

“Yep, but if this turns into a fight, I get Volstagg,” Darcy requested. “I also reserve the right to taze first and ask questions later.”

The other girl’s lips turned up into grin. “Agreed.”

Darcy straightened her tunic, adjusted her shield, and led Sif into the unsuspecting town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if guys know this, but Hannatude wrote this hilarious thing. You can read it here: [Tower Texts - The Daily Lives of the Avengers](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3140480/chapters/6809096)
> 
> Also, I stumbled upon this new Tasertricks story while I was tumblr today, and I'm really liking it, so I thought I'd share: [She Said Shut Up and Dance With Me](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3151517/chapters/6839495)


	44. Nacho Night at Medieval Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony can't even, Thor can't even, the Warriors Three can't even, Jane is the voice of reason, and Darcy brings Sif to the nacho party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so some of this is canon-ish if you really, really, really squint. And maybe tilt your head. Just keep in mind that Tony is taking Erik's role, that might help. ;D I did borrow from the script a tiny bit. Volstagg actually says 'lovely herring people'. I didn't make that up, and the drunk guy was in the script as well, but I can't remember if he was in the movie or not. So all credit for those things go to the script writers, and not me. :)
> 
> ***************************************************************************

Tony was quickly finding that dealing with a grieving, hammerless God of Thunder was really outside of what he’d signed up for when Fury called him in on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge project. Especially when Jane had opted to stay back in Puente Antiguo with the real bridge, and left him alone with said God of Thunder.

He’d tried everything in his arsenal to cheer the guy up. Humor, food, youtube videos of cats... Nothing was working. This left one thing, really, a little chat about feelings. Tony decided that the only way he was going to be able to handle that chat was if it came with a healthy dose of alcohol for both of them. So he decided to take Thor down to the bar in town.

In retrospect, it probably wasn’t his best idea. What do they say about hindsight being a bitch? Tony should have known this would come back to bite him. Anyway, he now had a slightly soused, irritatingly loquacious viking on his hands. One who apparently _sang_ when he was drunk. 

Thor was just about to launch into what must have been his sixth verse when Tony signaled the bartender for another round. Happily, that brought a swift end to the performance. 

“Ah, Tony, you are a good friend,” he said, dumping the shot into his mug before downing the entire thing in one go. Thor wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Truly a prince among men.”

“Yeah. I’m something,” Tony replied, gazing longingly at the door. He wondered what Pepper was doing right now. Probably something that involved exponentially less Norse gods. He envied her.

“No.” Thor clapped him on the back, knocking him forward into the edge of the bar. “I mean that. Jane Foster is a lucky woman.”

The Man of Iron choked on his drink. “I’m sorry. The friendship between us must be affecting my hearing. What was that about Dr. Foster?”

“Come, Tony, she is a lovely woman. Any man would be proud to admit she is theirs.”

“Um, yeah, I think you’re working under a misapprehension here, Tarzan. Weird Science isn’t mine. As far as I know, she isn’t anyone’s, unless you count her work. Which she probably would.”

Thor looked dumbfounded. “But the two of you seem so familiar with one another.”

“That’s what happens when you spend almost every day together for months. You get to know someone,” Tony answered.

“”There is truly nothing between you?” he asked.

“Other than our mutual interest in things that go boom, no. And even that is debatable. She claims not to enjoy the boom part.” Tony shrugged. “She’s lying. Everyone likes the boom part. How could you not? You like it, right?”

Thor made an expression of assent. “I am the God of Thunder.”

“Exactly.” Tony got the bartender’s attention. “Could we get a refill over here?”

After the drinks arrived, they spent a few minutes in silence. Tony nursing his scotch, and Thor sipping morosely at his beer. Tony hoped he wasn’t planning on breaking out into song again.

Finally Thor said, “This is not the only thing I have gotten wrong. It would seem that I have been mistaken in many things.”

Okay, clearly they’d gotten past the singing and were moving into the navel gazing. It was only a slight improvement, but Stark would take it.

“You know, no one has all the answers. Except maybe Pepper,” he mused. Thor looked confused. “What I’m saying is that not having the answers can be a good thing. It usually leads to asking the important questions.” 

The other man seemed to take this in, staring at his drink, and then saying, “For the first time in my life, I do not know what I am supposed to do. Who I am supposed to be.”

“Aw hell,” Tony replied. “That’s true for pretty much everyone at some point. Some people never figure it out. It’s called being human. Not that I’m calling you human, but same difference.”

“Hey!” A loud voice shouted at them from across the bar. “Aren’t you the guy who smashed that cup in the diner the other day?”

Tony looked up to see a drunken guy weaving towards them. Thor’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“Yeah, yeah,” the guy asserted as he came closer. “You were with that hot chick, the scientist one. I wouldn’t mind her doing a little research on me, if you know what I mean.”

The man had reached them by this point, slapping his glass down between theirs on the bar. Thor sized him up, but made no move to do anything.

“I have no quarrel with you,” he said to the guy, “but Dr. Foster is a lady. You should be more respectful.”

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do if I don’t, Princess Valiant? Braid my hair?” the guy retorted, pointing at Thor’s golden tresses.

Tony was mildly impressed, both by Thor’s continued calm, and the nickname. 

“You are seeking a fight,” Thor said to him, “but I have no wish to fight you.”

“Then it’ll be easy to kick your ass,” the man said, slurring his words.

Stark sighed. This was getting ridiculous, and if Thor wasn’t going to deal with it, he would. “Look, my friend may not want to fight you, but I’m open to wiping the floor with you if I have to. It’s been a dull morning.”

“You?” the guy scoffed.

“Well, not just me,” Stark replied, reaching into the messenger bag he’d brought with him to take out the latest version of his shoulder operated rocket. “I also have this. I find it comes in handy when some asshole gets between me and my drink.”

The drunken idiot’s jaw dropped. “Is that thing real?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s a toy, but then again, maybe I’m the sort of crazy fucker who carries a portable weapon of mass destruction around in a messenger bag just in case the wrong guy pisses me off. As I see it, you have two choices.” Stark clipped the device onto his shoulder, and flipped a switch. It hummed to life. “One, stick around to find out if I am in fact that sort of crazy fucker. Or two, get the hell out of dodge before I decide to play target practice with your head. It’s up to you. Either way I get to finish my drink in peace, and that’s all I really care about.”

Thor took a sip of his drink, seemingly content to let things unfold as they would. The guy stared at the rocket, then switched his gaze back to Tony’s face.

“I don’t want any trouble,” he said, holding both hands up as he slowly backed away.

“Are you sure?” Tony asked. “I’ve had some problems with getting the trajectory down. You’d actually be doing me a favor.” Before he was done with his sentence, the guy was halfway out the exit and onto the street. Stark saluted Thor with his glass. He was just lifting it up to his lips, when he spotted a trio of Vikings walking down the middle of the street. As he watched, they walked up to the window, cupped their hands around their faces, and peered inside. Within seconds they were banging on the glass and waving.

“Um,” Tony said, as the largest Viking beamed hugely and mouthed ‘Found you!’ in Thor’s general direction. “I don’t like to assume, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and take a wild guess. Are these three friends of yours?”

Thor turned to face the window, and his face lit up with a welcoming smile. “Yes! My friends!” he shouted loudly, standing up from the barstool and swiftly crossing the room to meet them as they came in. “It is wonderful to see you, but why have you come?”

“We are here to take you home,” the one with the most unfortunate facial hair Tony had ever seen said. 

“Home?” Thor’s brow furrowed. “I do not understand. Come. Meet my friend.” He gestured towards Tony. “Anthony Stark, these are the Warriors Three. This is Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral,” he said, pointing to each in turn.

Stark lifted his hand in greeting. “Hey.” His mind was racing. According to Darcy and the King of Alderaan, Thor going home would be a bad thing for Yeti related reasons. So why were these three down here to bring him back? 

The one Thor had called Volstagg walked over and gave Tony a hearty clap on the shoulder. “Any friend of Thor’s is a friend of ours.” His head lifted. “Is that food I smell?”

“I don’t know if you want to call it food,” Tony replied, thinking of the dubious offerings he’d seen come out of the kitchen the previous night. “They’ve got nachos, wings, and an onion soup that looks like it was sponsored by Exxon Valdez.”

“Excellent!” Volstagg boomed. “We shall have them all. Barkeep! My friends and I have journeyed far and require sustenance!”

“It is nice to see how little things have changed in my absence,” Thor said fondly.

The gawking bartender addressed Tony, “Is he serious?”

Stark rolled his eyes and said in a confidential tone, “Tourists, right? What can you do? Just put one of everything on my tab.”

The man disappeared into the kitchen, still glancing over his shoulder at them as he went. 

“So,” Tony said, standing up. “I feel like we should move this party to a table.”

The all settled in around one of the grimy, wooden tables, except Volstagg who sat next to them at another one. He leaned on it, resting his bulk and smiling jovially at everyone.

“Earth has changed since last we were here,” Hogun said, glancing out the window at the row of cars lining the street.

“It _has_ been nearly a thousand years,” Fandral pointed out. “You couldn't expect it to remain stagnant all that time.”

“That is true, but I feel that you leave for a millennia, and you barely know the place when you return,” Volstagg interjected. “Remember the lovely herring people? They worshipped us!”

“Did you just call the entire Nordic race ‘herring people’?” Tony asked.

Thor must have decided that intervention was necessary, because he leaned forward towards the three of them and said, “My friends, I have never been happier to see anyone, but I still do not understand why you say you have come to bring me home. You know I cannot return. My father is dead because of me, and Jötunheim threatens war if I go back. I must remain in exile.”

The three men sitting around the table looked at each other. Tony had the distinct impression that his job of keeping Thor on Earth was about to get exponentially harder. He surreptitiously pulled his phone out under the table, and started texting Jane for backup. 

“Thor,” Fandral said hesitantly, “I do not know what you have been told, but your father still lives.”

His face registered complete shock. “What? But Loki said…”

“ _Loki_ ,” Hogun spat. “Is there no end to his lies? The Allfather remains in the Odinsleep, but he lives.”

 _Well shit_ , Tony thought. He suspected Loki had been feeding them a line with that story, and now he knew it for sure. What the hell had he and Darcy been thinking? 

“My Father is in the Odinsleep?” Thor asked. “Why would Loki lie about that?”

“I expect it was to ensure that you remained banished on Midgard,” Fandral surmised. “Your brother is King of Asgard at the moment. Should you come home, his rule would end.”

“That is not all,” Hogun said quietly. “Your brother has been harboring a far more dangerous secret. One that could lead to the destruction of Asgard itself.”

“Careful, Hogun,” Fandral said. “Consider the source. We still do not know if it is true or not. Perhaps it would be best to bring Thor home, and determine the truth of things afterwards.”

“I see no reason to keep him in the dark about this.” Volstagg shifted in his chair, as if he was having a hard time getting comfortable. “If it is not true, then it can be proven so when we return.”

“Please,” Thor replied sharply. “Stop speaking in riddles. Whatever it is, I wish to know now.”

Hogun looked like he was about to answer when the door to the bar opened up, and Jane came barreling in. 

“Hey, hi! Tony texted me, and....” She stopped dead, staring at the three men sitting at the table with Tony and Thor. “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said his friends had shown up.”

“Nice entrance, Weird Science. Very subtle,” Tony sighed. “Dr. Foster, meet Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun. They’ve come to take Thor home.”

Her eyes widened. “Home?”

“Yep. Home.” Stark gestured at a chair. “Have a seat. We were just having a little discussion about how Thor’s father isn’t dead after all.”

“Oh, that,” Jane said, dropping into the chair heavily. Everyone focused their attention on her the minute the words left her mouth, and she quickly added, “That...that’s news to me. But good news, right? Great...news…”

Thor’s face was a mix of disbelief and hurt. “Jane, you knew? You knew that my father was alive, and did not think to tell me?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked at him, holding both hands up in apology. “Okay, yes. I knew. But only since yesterday, and I really didn’t like the idea of lying to you about it. You have every right to be angry. No matter how good Loki’s intentions were, lying about that was wrong. I told Darcy that when they were here.”

“Why?” he said. “Why would my brother tell me such a lie?”

“Darcy’s going to kill me,” Jane muttered, then she looked at Thor. “It was to keep you on Earth.”

“There,” Hogun said to Fandral. “Are you happy now? She has admitted what we all suspected to be true.”

Tony pulled his chair closer to the table. “Look, before everyone starts jumping to conclusions, I don’t think Dr. Foster was finished. Why don’t we give her the courtesy of hearing her out, hm?”

“Thanks,” she said gratefully. “Yes. Loki did say it to keep Thor here, but as I understand it, he had a good reason for that. The um, the Frost Giant guy?”

“Laufey?” Thor asked.

“Yes. Laufey. Thank you,” she replied. “One of the conditions of peace with Asgard was that Loki execute Thor for invading his realm. Loki was trying to stall for time, and hide the fact that Thor was still alive. I agree, it was a terrible lie, but his motivations weren’t bad.”

“If you believe those _were_ his motivations,” Hogun said. “Forgive me, but you have known them a very short time, and Loki has always been jealous of Thor.”

Jane bristled. “I may not know Loki that well, but I do know Darcy. She would never lie about that.”

“You mean the Darcy who has been hiding her identity for these past months?” Fandral scoffed. “Yes. Very trustworthy.”

“You know,” a voice came from the back of the bar, “if you're gonna talk shit about me, Fandral, the least you could do is say it to my face.”

Tony swiveled around in his chair. There, looking like she’d dropped out of an episode of Xena, was the Intern Formerly Known as Missing. She wasn’t alone either. It appeared that Xena had actually come along with her for the ride. 

“Nice of you to show up,” Stark said. “We ordered nachos. Also, these three are here to take Thor home. I’m going to assume you knew that though, if the whole warrior princess look you got going on is anything to go by, that is.”

“Wow,” Jane said. “You weren’t kidding about the sword. You look good.”

“Sif!” Thor stood up. “I was just going to ask why you had not accompanied the Warriors Three.”

The woman with Darcy colored slightly. “Thor,” she said with a nod. She turned to his friends. “Was there a reason you three did not consult me before making a secret journey to Midgard?”

“The reason is standing next to you,” Fandral replied. “Beware, Sif, that woman is not who she says she is.”

Sif rolled her eyes. “Yes, Fandral, I had noticed that. Before you find yourself hopelessly mired in the hole you’ve begun to dig for yourself, I should probably tell you Queen Frigga herself has been aware of Darcy’s true origins this entire time. In fact, she had a hand in concealing the girl herself.”

Hogun blinked. “Her Majesty knew?”

“Oh yes,” Sif responded. “Also, our presence here is at her very command. Is that not right, Darcy?”

Darcy smiled. “Yup. We’re like her personal baddass delegation.”

“This just gets better and better,” Stark said. “It’s like being at a Viking version of Medieval Times that someone decided stage in the Alamo. I hope there’s jousting.”

“Not helping,” Jane mumbled, looking at the Warriors Three, who were growing more agitated by the moment.

“What?” he said. “Don’t tell me you don’t like jousting. That’s just unAmerican.”

“We have an actual situation here, in case you haven’t noticed,” she shot back under her breath.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m on it.” He stood up next to Thor. “Okay, here’s the thing. I can see everyone is a little tense at the moment, but if we could all just sit down…” He trailed off into stunned silence as a late model Ford Bronco rolled past the window. That in itself wasn't so odd. The thing that really got Tony was that it was rolling by on its roof. “I left a spare suit in your lab, right?” he asked Jane.

She swallowed, watching with everyone else while the suv crashed into several parked cars, and set their alarms blaring. “Yes.”

“Good. That’s good,” he said. “Right, so it would seem there’s some sort of problem outside. Now, as much I’d like to hash this all out, I think maybe the better idea would be to... Holy shit that guy is blue. And huge. You all see that right? That huge blue guy? Aaaand now there are two of them. Fantastic.”

Tony’s attention was diverted by all three of Thor’s friends leaping suddenly to their feet. From behind him, two words broke the stunned silence.

“Frost Giants.”


	45. Deep Freeze in the Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Darcy finds battle highly overrated. (Also, please read the author's note. It's really important)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a bit to get this chapter out. It's really, really long. (Mostly because it was all action, and I couldn't find a good place to stop.) A few things came directly from the script, because they were major points in the story, but for the most part, all the dialogue/events are mine. So I give all credit to the scriptwriters for those things. :)
> 
> Okay, there something else I want to talk about really quickly here. I'm not sure if anyone saw her comment in the reviews on chapter 44, but Hanna ([Hannatude](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannatude/pseuds/Hannatude/works)) lost her home in a house fire last week. She also lost her pets. I've never had to live through that, and I can only imagine how much she is hurting right now. There is a gofundme set up for her family, which you can find here: [Gofundme for Hannatude](http://www.gofundme.com/k4nols)
> 
> Since there is a fire in this chapter, and I do not want to trigger or upset Hanna, I have marked it at the beginning and end like this: (***). That way, if she wants to skip it, she can just look for the marks. I hope that doesn't throw anyone off while they're reading, but I wanted to be respectful to her, and that's how I handled it. (I debated taking the fire out, but it was integral character development for Thor, and had been planned since I started the story, so I left it in.)
> 
> Hanna, you let me know if there's anything else I can do. You know my email address, and I'm always here for you. <3
> 
> ***************************************************************************

Loki had been awakened before dawn by a raven at the window. It was an answer to the message he sent Laufey the night prior. His biological father had taken the false news of Thor’s death well it seemed. He wished to meet, on Asgardian soil this time, and would be bringing a contingent of advisors with him to negotiate the peace treaty. Moments after reading the missive, Loki returned the still-sleeping Darcy to her rooms and replaced her glamour. There was much to do before Laufey’s arrival.

He spent the morning briefing the Captain of the Einherjar, meeting with Heimdall, and speaking to the palace stewards regarding food and drink for the meeting. In truth, Loki kept feeling a thread of apprehension in the back of his mind. There was something in Laufey’s words, pleased though they sounded, that didn’t ring true. So after he’d finished those tasks, he went to see his mother in her chambers and get her council.

Strangely, neither Asgard’s Queen nor her ladies were there. After questioning the guard at the door, Loki found that she had received a visit from Darcy and the Lady Sif earlier. Shortly after the two arrived, Frigga had dismissed her household for the day. All three left after that, saying they were going riding.

Loki’s suspicions were immediately roused. Darcy would sooner face a bilgesnipe than get on a horse. Further inquiries revealed that not only had she gone riding, but she had taken Stjarna. 

He immediately sent her a message through their cuffs. _Do I want to know why you have absconded with my horse?_

Her reply was delayed in coming, and when it finally arrived, did nothing to assuage the questions swirling in his mind. 

_Um, It’s kind of a surprise actually. Don’t worry. I’m okay,_ she sent back.

 _Where are you?_ he demanded.

_I’m a little busy here, Mischief. Sorry. I’ll tell you later._

Loki was just considering using his cuff to locate her, when he was interrupted by the announcement that Laufey had arrived early. This was beyond worrisome. He was to have met Laufey at the Observatory, not at the gates. The niggling sensation that something wasn’t right turned into a full-fledged wave of distrust. He dispatched his own personal honor-guard to go find Darcy and his mother, and went down to the Great Hall to meet with the King of Jötunheim. 

As he reached the entrance to the palace, he realized how very dangerous the situation really was. Laufey had not just brought with him a few advisors, but what looked like twenty hardened warriors as well. They were lined up behind him as he stood just inside the large, golden doors. Loki drew himself up, facing his true father with a studied air of calm. 

“Laufey,” he said, extending the arm that held Gungnir. “Welcome to Asgard.”

Laufey’s lips twisted into a sneer. “King of Asgard. How kind of you to invite us. It almost makes up for the lie about your brother.”

“Lie?” Loki gave a negligent shrug of his shoulders that belied his inner turmoil at the Frost Giant’s words. “I have no idea what you mean. Come, let us move this to a more private location. Refreshments have been prepared for you and your men.”

“Do you think you are the only one who is able to conceal their true intentions? I knew of your deception from nearly the first moment you plotted it,” Laufey declared. 

“Again, I do not understand what you are implying. All terms of your treaty have been met. Now, we may either speak further elsewhere, or I shall call an end to this meeting right here.”

The King of Jötunheim gave a sardonic laugh. “Yes. My terms have been met, but not by you.”

Loki stared at him. “Explain yourself.”

“Your Gatekeeper is surprisingly susceptible to ice,” Laufey said, cocking his head at his son. “It is quite a fault in the one whose very job is Asgard's first line of defense.”

“Alert the rest of the Einherjar. This is not a delegation, but a war party,” Loki said in a low tone to the guard nearest to him. 

“Do you truly believe I will allow them to leave this room?” Laufey signalled his soldiers, and they fell into an offensive formation behind him, spears of ice forming on their arms. 

The Æsir guards in the hall were vastly outnumbered, but Laufey had clearly not considered his son's ability to create doubles. Loki quickly generated one, and sent it for reinforcements. Within moments the room was a battleground, Loki fighting alongside the guards in a desperate bid to keep as many alive as he could while avoiding injury himself. He had no idea how many troops Laufey may have led into Asgard. If Heimdall had fallen, that number could be staggering.

A roar filled the hall as the reinforcements swept in from the adjoining corridors. In the confusion, several of the Jötunn warriors broke away, disappearing into the depths of the palace. 

“Stop them!” Loki shouted over the din. “They go for the Casket, and they must not reach it!”

He was using daggers and magic alike to fight, twisting and spinning as the enemy surrounded them. Loki had just taken down the largest of the invaders with a well-placed blade the the neck, when he realized the Laufey himself was no longer in the room. It wasn’t hard to guess where he might have gone, and Loki spared a final look at the violent melee happening all around him, before teleporting to the Allfather’s rooms.

In an effort to keep his arrival a secret, he reappeared in a small alcove mostly hidden behind a large tapestry. It took only one glance at the room to realize Laufey had beat him there. The unsuspecting Einherjar that had been guarding Odin were laying on the floor in pools of their own blood, their bodies contorted into half-frozen shapes. 

Loki crept stealthily through the royal apartments until he reached the bedroom. Through the doorway he could see the Allfather, still rendered immobile by the Odinsleep, and looming over him was Laufey with an unsheathed blade in his hand.

“Over a thousand years I have waited to avenge myself and my people. How very sweet it tastes to take my revenge at last,” Laufey sneered, eyes full of triumph. “It is said that you can still see and hear, even in this pathetic state. If that is true, then know this, Odin, Son of Börr, your death came by the hand of Laufey.”

He lifted the knife, and Loki reacted instinctively, raising Gungnir and unleashing a single, fiery blast into the Jötunn King’s chest. The hit struck Laufey with enough force to throw him sideways, and he landed with a crash several feet away. Loki crossed the room to kneel over him, looking down into the hate-filled crimson eyes as a cold fury consumed him.

“And your death,” he hissed, gaze fixed on the dying face of Laufey, “came by Loki, Son of Odin.”

As he was rising back up, two more Frost Giants stormed into the room. They halted when they saw their leader dead on the floor. Loki fired Gungnir at the first, killing him instantly. The second leaped for him with a howl of rage. He had no time to level his weapon or get out of the way, but just as the towering Jötunn reached him, its eyes widened in shock, and it stumbled to its knees. 

Behind it stood Frigga, her sword buried in its back. She stared at the dead Frost Giant on the floor for a moment, and then moved around it with swift steps, place her hands on Loki's arms.

“Are you harmed?” she asked, pulling back to look at him.

“No, Mother, but I must rejoin our men. They will need my help to defeat the rest of the Frost Giants,” he replied. 

“It is done,” his mother said. “I called forth the Destroyer myself when I realized what was happening.” She looked again at the carnage around them and shook her head. “Laufey betrayed you, then? I had been so hopeful that there could be reconciliation.”

“He somehow knew Thor was still alive,” Loki told her. “I do not know how.”

Frigga pressed her fingertips to her lips for a moment, eyes full of sadness, and then said, “Oh, I think perhaps I do. One of my own ladies has proved herself to be a traitor. I did not want to believe it, but the truth began to make itself apparent this morning.”

“One of your ladies?” Loki stared at his mother in confusion. “Which one?”

“Ærndís,” his mother said. “I knew that she was harboring some jealousy of Darcy, but it appears her feelings went far deeper than any of us imagined. I now know she has been spying on you both, and perhaps me as well, for weeks.”

“Do you believe she knows the truth of what I am?” he questioned.

“I do. I also suspect she took this knowledge to the Warriors Three. They disappeared from Asgard this morning. After speaking with Heimdall earlier, I discovered that Ærndís forged a message from me saying I had granted them access to Midgard to visit Thor.”

Anger burned through Loki. “Where is she now?”

“Gone,” his mother answered. “I have engaged my own guard in searching for her to no avail. She has disappeared without a trace. Don’t you see, though? Laufey must have somehow been watching the Bifrost. When Thor’s friends went down to Midgard under the pretense of visiting Thor...”

“Laufey would have known he was still alive,” Loki finished for her.

“Yes.” Frigga nodded. 

There was something about that. Something Laufey had said earlier. Loki cast his mind back over the meeting in the hall. Laufey’s terms had been met...but not by Loki. 

The terms had been met? No. Oh no.

No sooner had the realization of what that meant dawned, than his cuff blazed to life with a message from Darcy.

 _Don’t kill me,_ it said, _but I might be on Midgard, and there might also be Frost Giants down here._

Shock painted Loki’s face. “Did you know Darcy was in Midgard?”

“Yes. Please do not be angry with me. She and Sif went to stop Thor’s friends,” his mother explained. “It seemed like a simple task, and I did not wish to worry you. Why? Has something happened?”

His cuff lit up again. _Mischief, seriously! We have gigantic fucking JÖTUNNS tearing up Puente Antiguo! Do something!!!_ Along with her message came the distinct feeling of fear-fueled adrenaline.

Loki’s heart clenched in his chest. He responded with _Hold on, Darcy. I am on my way,_ and grabbed his mother’s arm. “There are Frost Giants in Midgard! Where is the Destroyer now?”

“Frost Giants?” Frigga went pale. “It may still be on the Bifrost bridge. Laufey had more warriors waiting there to join him.”

Without waiting to hear more, Loki tightened his grip on Gungnir and teleported out to the Bifrost bridge. The glimmering surface was littered with the bodies of the dead Jötunn force. Loki stalked between the corpses, moving straight up to where the Destroyer stood silent and waiting. The huge metal helmet turned to face him as he approached. 

“We will go to Midgard, and you will exterminate every Jötunn you find there with fire. There is to be no mercy. I. Want. Them. Dead. Do you understand?” Loki waited for it acknowledge his request with a slight nod. “Good.”

He led it the short distance to the Observatory, finding Heimdall on the ground just inside entrance. It was difficult to tell if the Gatekeeper still lived. There were jagged holes in his armor where ice-spears had gone through, and black burn marks on his exposed skin. Loki dropped to knees beside him, searching for signs of life. He found a weak, thready pulse in Heimdall’s neck. 

It was enough to work with. Loki laid his hands on Heimdall’s chest, sending a healing spell through his large frame. Within moments Heimdall began to stir, one hand pressed to his sternum as he took great gulps of air. His golden eyes sought out Loki’s.

“We were betrayed and I did not see it. I have failed Asgard,” he said.

“No,” Loki replied. “Asgard is safe, but we will fail Midgard if we do not act now. Has your vision returned enough to see what happens there?”

Heimdall’s head lifted, eyes fixed on a point Loki could not see. “The town is overrun with Frost Giants. Your brother is still mortal. We must hurry or the fight will be lost.” He recovered his feet quickly, moving to the pedestal inside the Observatory with rapid strides. 

Loki stood in front of the portal to Midgard, the Destroyer at his side. It blazed to life, and they stepped inside, hurtling down towards Earth.

**********************************************

In Puente Antiguo, Darcy was starting to panic. Everything had seemed okay when they first left the bar. There were only two Frost Giants, Tony had a rocket and apparently a spare suit at Jane’s lab, and the Asgardians seemed more than prepared to take on a couple of frozen baddies.

The problem had come when they realized it wasn’t just a couple of baddies, but what basically amounted to a metric shit-ton of them. The fight had been quick and brutal, followed by a hasty retreat. Somehow they all ended up scattered across the main part of town, and were currently working to regroup.

She and Stark were holed up behind a barricade made of smashed cars, and part of a caved in awning. The Man of Iron looked a little worse for wear. He’d been snatched out of midair by one of the Jötunns, and thrown through the wall of a bakery. One shoulder of his suit was split open, the weaponry inside dangling uselessly along his upper arm. 

Darcy looked around at the mess that used to be Puente Antiguo, and decided Loki’s wrath at finding out what she’d done was the lesser of two evils, the first being annihilation by Frost Giants. 

_Don’t kill me,_ she sent to him, _but I might be on Midgard, and there might also be Frost Giants down here._

She waited nervously for his answer, but close to a minute passed and there was no response. So she sent, _Mischief, seriously! We have gigantic fucking JÖTUNNS tearing up Puente Antiguo! Do something!!!_

Finally her cuff flashed to life. _Hold on, Darcy. I am on my way,_ he said.

Darcy sagged against the concrete pillar at her back in relief. Loki would fix this, she was sure it. They all just had to stay alive long enough to let him.

It seemed that the idea of calling for backup appealed to Tony, because he immediately had JARVIS put a call in to Fury. She only tuned into the conversation after he started getting agitated.

“Yeah, I’m sure you don't see what I’m talking about on the video feed, Nick. The footage is fake, I should know, I’m the asshole who faked it,” he was yelling, faceplate flipped up so Darcy could see the strain on his face. “What do you mean why? Do you seriously want an explanation right now? Fine. There are magical alien Yetis in Puente Antiguo, and I think one human ice sculpture in the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives is enough! How’s that?”

“What ice sculpture?” Darcy asked, peering through the torn metal to see if the street was clear yet.

“It’s not exactly an ice sculpture,” he answered, muting Fury’s line. “It’s more like a Capsi... Shit! We’ve got incoming!”

Tony dove on her, knocking her to the ground just as a massive piece of rubble smashed into the wall of the building behind them. Chips of concrete flew everywhere. 

One of them struck Darcy in the cheek and she hissed at the sting. “ _Fuck_ that hurt!” She worked an arm out from under her, and pressed her palm to her face. It came back bloody. “Dammit! We’ve got to get out of here. Can you see any of the others?”

“Uhhhhhhh…” He leaned around one side of the wrecked car. “...yeah. See that box truck in front of the diner?”

She peeped around his shoulder. “Yes. Is that Volstagg eating a pie??? I can’t believe it. He is. He’s eating diner pie in the middle of a hostile takeover.”

“Is that the chocolate silk?” Tony frowned. “I was just starting to like that guy.”

Darcy snorted. Then she army crawled over to the edge of the debris in front of her and peered down the street. It was empty in the eeriest way possible, but it was the best chance they were going to have. “Okay. My side of the street looks clear. How’s yours? Can we get over there?” 

“It’s all clear this way,” he replied. “Here’s what we’ll do. I’ve got one functioning rocket, and a few rounds left. When we get there, you grab the pie, and I’ll cover for you.”

“You mean you’ll cover for me if we run into Frost Giants, right?” she asked, sliding her shield onto her arm.

Tony pursed his lips, attention fixed on the pie. “That too.”

She rolled her eyes. “On the count of three?”

Tony nodded, flipping his mask down. “One…”

“Two…”

“Three!” they both yelled together, and bolted into the street.

The shit hit the fan when they were less than halfway across. One of the Frost Giants must have been waiting down at the end of the block, because it appeared without warning and ran right for them. As Tony moved to get in front of her, Darcy saw another moving in from the other direction.

“This was a great idea, Tony, now we’re surrounded!” she shrieked at him. 

“Excuse me, Intern Formerly Known as Missing, but I'd like to point out that it was _your_ idea. I only agreed because of the pie," he yelled back. "Anyway, I've got this. We’re fine!” 

Darcy ducked a flying car door that the second Frost Giant tossed at her. “Have you ever even seen a dictionary, Tony? Because this? Being surrounded by frozen giants that want to kill us? It's actually the complete opposite of fine!” 

Having missed with the the car door, the Jötunn heading towards Darcy must have decided to go old school, and formed an ice-spear around his forearm. She dropped into a defensive posture, shield raised, and sword ready.

From behind her, she could hear Tony firing on the original Frost Giant. The sound was both reassuring and terrifying, because he was probably saving their lives, but now all the other Jötunns would know where they were.

The one in front of her was sizing her up. His face hardened into a self-satisfied smirk as he came closer. Darcy held her ground. She could see what he couldn’t.

“You think to threaten me with that tiny sword?” he asked in a mocking tone. “I will enjoy cleaving you in two, mortal.”

“Actually, I’m just distracting your stupid, frozen ass so my friend can send it to Helheim,” Darcy replied.

There was a split second where the Jötunn looked puzzled, and then he let out a loud grunt as the tip of Sif’s blade came through the front of his bare chest. Darcy winced as dark blood poured from the wound, running down his blue skin. He stumbled forward, dropping first to his knees, and then onto his face. Sif stood on top of him, yanking her sword free, and wiping it clean on the Frost Giant’s kilt.

“Are you alright, Darcy?” she asked. 

“Mostly. That was awesome by the way. Thanks,” Darcy said gratefully.

Stark had finished with the other Frost Giant by then, and Sif jerked her head urgently at the shelter of the building across the street. “We must seek cover. They will all be converging here soon.”

Tony nodded. “Let’s go.”

They ducked and ran, meeting up with the rest of the group behind the box truck. From there they jogged down the narrow alley next to the diner, and ended up on the street with Jane’s lab. Jane leaned against the wall of the diner, catching her breath.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

Darcy swiped at her cheek again, where the drying blood was starting to itch. “Loki’s coming, and Tony called Nick. We’ve just got to hang on until then.”

At the mention of Loki, Thor’s friends shared a wary glance. 

“Don’t,” Darcy said. “You don’t have the whole story, and I don't have time to get into it right now, because I’m trying not to die.”

“Then you do not believe this…” Hogun waved at the destruction around them. “...to be his doing?”

“You can’t be serious,” she replied. “He’s on his way here to _help_.”

Sif straightened up, and set her hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “Darcy is right. This is neither the time, nor the place.”

Thor cleared his throat loudly, effectively stopping the argument. He turned to the Warriors Three, and said, “Whatever you believe my brother has done, it must wait. We must work together if we are to survive this. I saw at least twelve Jötunns during the attack.”

“As did I,” Fandral agreed. 

“Tony and Sif just killed two,” Darcy said. “So that leaves ten if we’re right about there being twelve.”

Fandral scowled at her. “You think I cannot count?”

“No, I think that Laufey is smart enough to have some waiting in reserve,” she snapped back. “But you know, feel free to underestimate the enemy. I’m sure that’s completely helpful in situations like this.”

He took a step towards her, and both Sif and Thor moved between them.

“Enough!” Thor bellowed. “Did I not just say we needed to work together? Fandral, you know as well as I do that Darcy may be correct. Is your pride more valuable to you than the safety of this group? This realm?” He threw his arms out, glaring.

Fandral backed down under Thor’s censure, and the disagreement lapsed into silence. The next few minutes were taken up with planning a strategy. The Warriors Three were determined to keep Thor out of the fighting, and he was taking that with bad grace.

“You are mortal now,” Hogun was saying. “You will get yourself killed without Mjölnir or your powers!”

“I will not flee like a coward,” he protested. “My place is here, fighting with you.”

Even Sif shook her head. “The best thing you could do is get the Midgardians to safety until help arrives. Leave the battle to us.”

“I’ll do it with you,” Darcy offered. “There’s still people stuck in town, and I’m familiar with the surrounding area. We should try to get them out.”

For a moment she thought he was going to fight them on it, and then Thor nodded at Sif. “You are right. These people are under attack due to my presence here.” He turned to Darcy. “Come. We will make sure no one dies in my name today.”

“I’ll join you,” Tony said. 

The two groups looked at each other for another moment, and then split off. Darcy, Jane, Tony, and Thor headed towards where they could still see people running for cars and shelter. Sif and Warriors Three moved off in the opposite direction, where they had all last seen the Frost Giants. 

It was a risky plan. The was no guarantee the Frost Giants weren’t spread out over all of Puente Antiguo by this point. If Darcy and Thor’s little group ran into them on their mission of mercy, they would have to rely on Tony’s damaged suit and Darcy’s skill with a sword to get them out of it. Thor and Jane weren’t armed, and hand-to-hand combat was pretty dicey against a foe that could use their skin to cause frostbite burns. Darcy also had her taser, but she didn’t know what effect that might have on a Jötunn. Possibly none. She decided to save it as a last resort.

(***)The next few minutes were tense ones as they searched for people holed up in the various storefronts, and got them into vehicles out of town. They had just sent what she hopes was the last frightened bunch of people on their way, when a car barrelled up the street on its side and slammed into the front of the petshop. Darcy watched in horror as it burst into flames. They’d gotten the clerk out already, but the shop was full of animals. 

“Where are you going?” Jane shouted, as Darcy ran across the street towards the burning store.

She never stopped, just yelled over her shoulder, “There are still pets in there!”

Shoving through the door, Darcy bent in half to avoid the smoke. She reached the first line of cages, and began opening up the doors, grabbing the animals inside. With her arms full of wriggling balls of fur, she made a mad dash for the back entrance, and deposited them in a big cardboard box she found sitting near the dumpster.

Her second pass through the store was harder. Eyes watering, she scooped up as many of the remaining animals she could, and made her way outside again. This time Jane met her at the door, with Thor and Tony by her side. 

“Can you get them into a car leaving town?” Darcy asked between coughing fits. “There’s a few more left in there that I have to get out.”

“Darcy, the whole place is on fire,” Jane pointed out. “I’m not letting you go back in there.”

“And I’m not leaving them to get burned alive,” she fired back. “They don’t deserve to die like that.”

“Stay,” Thor commanded. “I will go.”

He brushed past her through the door. Darcy waited anxiously outside, lungs still aching from the smoke. One of the puppies in the cardboard box started to whine, and she crouched down to comfort it.

“I know,” she said, lifting him out of the box and into her arms. “Things are scary right now, but I promise you’ll be okay. I’ll get you out of here.”

She stood up, eyes scanning the street for any type of vehicle. A car rounded the corner and Darcy ran for it. 

“Listen, I’m going to call you Baker. How’s that sound?” The puppy looked at her with large, frightened eyes as she flagged down the car. “Hey! HEY!” She leaned in the window, thrusting the dog into the lap of the man driving. “This is Baker. He’s my dog. Please get him to safety, okay?”

The driver gave her a quick nod of agreement, and tore off down the street. Darcy stopped to catch her breath, hands planted on her knees. She’d just straightened back up, when her heart stopped. Standing a few feet away was a Frost Giant, his blood-red eyes focused directly on her. (***)

“Shit,” she whispered, taking a step backwards in fear.

The Jötunn advanced, ice-spear lowered threateningly at her. Darcy’s mind scrambled to remember every single thing she’d ever learned from her time on the practice field with Sif and Frigga, and everything Loki had tried to hammer into her head about swordfighting. Just before the Frost Giant reached her, her bracelet burned on her arm, a sure indication that Loki was using it to locate her.

She hoped he wouldn’t arrive just in time to see her killed. 

“Hey! Asshole!” Jane’s voice came from behind her back. “Get your own intern. This one’s mine!”

A blast of foam shot over Darcy’s shoulder, and she turned to see Jane unloading the contents of a fire extinguisher right into the Jötunn’s face. He staggered backwards, clawing at the mess in an effort to clear his eyes, and Jane fired another blast at him.

“Go, Bosslady!” Darcy cheered. 

“Should we run?” Jane asked, dropping the now empty extinguisher on the pavement. “I think we should run.”

“Hell yes. I’m all for running.” Darcy started sprinting back down the street with Jane beside her. “Where are the guys?”

“Still at the pet shop. Thor got all the animals out. Even the snakes.” Jane made a face.

“I take back every bad thing I ever said about him,” Darcy avowed. “He’s a-okay in my book.”

There was a terrifying roar of fury, followed by the sound of something big pursuing them. 

“I think your friend got the foam off his face,” Jane said, starting to run faster.

Darcy glanced behind them, heart pounding in fear as the Frost Giant gained on them. “He’s not _my_ friend.”

The words had just left her mouth when the the Jötunn used the car next to them as a springboard so he could leap over their heads. The two girls screeched to a halt, as he landed directly in front of them, arms spread wide.

“I thought you said you weren’t that good at this,” Jane said as Darcy brought her sword up.

“I’m not,” Darcy replied, not taking her eyes off the deadly blue giant in front of them. “Jane, I need you to run.”

“What???”

“Run. Get out of here. He can’t chase us both. Go find Tony and Thor. I’ve got your back.”

“Darcy…” Jane said.

“I'm trying to save your life, okay? Loki is on his way. I can hold this guy off until then. Just get the fuck out of here. Now.”

There was no time to see if Jane listened. The Frost Giant swung, and Darcy yanked her shield up, blocking the blow. The force reverberated down her arm and made her teeth clack together in her head. They began a lethal dance, Darcy retreating with her shield up, as the Jötunn rained blows down on it.

She had no advantage in the fight. He was bigger, stronger, and had a reach that equaled more than twice what hers was. She was losing ground fast, when an idea occurred to her. The distraction trick had worked once with the smartest person she knew, would it work with a Frost Giant? 

Jumping backwards out of his reach, Darcy raised her sword and pointed down to the end of the street. Then she dropped her jaw in what she hoped looked like surprise, and exclaimed, “Holy shit! What’s that?”

The Jötunn half-turned to see what she was pointing at, and Darcy made her move, sword slashing through the air with a whistling sound. Time seemed to slow down as the arc closed and the tip of her blade made contact with his body. It went in midway down his abdomen, slicing through skin and sinew alike. Darcy fought the urge to close her eyes, especially when it went lower and the Jötunn howled in pain.

The strike wasn’t going to be enough. She could see that the moment her sword jerked free. He was definitely hurt, and probably wasn’t ever going to be able to make any icy Frost Giant babies, but at most Darcy had just given him an even bigger reason to kill her.

There was no question in her mind that she was dead. He was too close for her to defend herself properly. With a murderous glint in his eye, the Jötunn reached for her, holding her by her sword arm as he pressed the end of the ice-spear against her throat.

“How sad it must be to know your little act of martyrdom was a waste. After you are dead, I will rip your friend limb from limb while she begs for my mercy,” he snarled.

“Fuck you,” she spat back. 

“Did I not specifically ask you to hold on until I got here?” her favorite voice in the whole world inquired.

Darcy closed her eyes as waves of relief flooded through her body. “Mischief,” she said. “What the hell took you so long?”

“I was quite tied up with killing Laufey,” he responded. “Midgard was not the only realm he invaded.”

The Frost Giant spun around to face Loki, yanking her with him. “You lie.”

She gasped when she saw him standing there, armor gleaming, with Gungnir in his hand. He looked like the sexiest, most deadly avenging angel in the universe.

“I assure you, Jötunheim’s king lies dead in Asgard. I dispatched him myself, and I will relish sending you to join him.”

The vision of Loki suddenly wavered and melted away, revealing the Destroyer in its place. At the same time the real Loki appeared, snagged Darcy around the waist and teleported her to the far side of the street.

“Now,” he commanded the Destroyer. “Incinerate him.”

The Frost Giant stared wildly at the oncoming metal behemoth. The faceplate slid open, and a plume of what looked like liquid flame shot out, burning the Jötunn to ash where he stood.

Darcy scrunched her face up in disgust. “Ugh. That smells awful. Like eggs on a burner. Ever get eggs on a burner? It’s the worst. Every single year at Christmas my dad insisted on making his infamous ‘Scrambled Egg Surprise’, and he never failed to get eggs on the burner. The smell still makes me queasy. Fuck. Fuck, Loki. Fucking eggs on a burner. I stabbed that guy, and then he was burned to a crisp right in front of me, and Sif killed this other one. Then there was this fire, and I had to get the animals out. I have a dog now. His name is Baker...” She started to shake.

He pulled her close, turning them so the remains of the Frost Giant were out of her line of sight. She buried her head against his chest, and sobbed.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she hiccuped. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Just...just give me a second. I really didn’t mean to go to pieces on you the second you got here. I think I’m in shock or something.”

“There is no shame in your reaction. Your body is simply trying to help your mind cope with what you have seen. You are not the only warrior to be taken this way after their first battle,” he said, reaching around her and taking the sword from her hand. 

She wasn’t sure at first why he wanted it, and then realized he was using magic to clean the blood off. Afterwards his fingers sought out her face, tipping her chin up so she was looking at him.

“Tell me who I must kill for marring your face,” he said, gently examining the cut on her cheek.

She managed a weak smile. “Oh you know, one of the giant blue guys. For all I know, it was Mr. Burnt-Eggs over there.”

Loki made a clucking noise. “Well, I shall just have to eradicate them all now.”

“I’m kind of cool with that, actually,” Darcy said.

A series of what sounded like explosions interrupted them. Loki whirled them both around so she was pressed against the wall of the closest building with this body shielding hers as chunks of brick and mortar rained down on them. She managed to catch a glimpse of an unidentifiable something whizzing by that came from the same direction as the rubble.

“What the hell was that?” she yelled at Loki, trying to duck under his arm to see where the thing went. 

He pushed away from the wall, still keeping an arm protectively around her shoulders, and said, “Mjölnir.”

“Mew-mew? I thought it was stuck in the desert until Thor earned it back. Does this mean he earned it back?”

“It is either that or someone else has proven themselves worthy,” Loki said as they moved down the street with the Destroyer following. “Do you know where my brother is now?”

“Um, yeah. I mean, I know where he was. Remember that fire I was telling you about, you know, the one with Baker the dog? Thor was helping me get the animals out. With Tony.” She glanced up at Loki, seeing him compress his lips when when Stark’s name was mentioned. 

“Of course he would somehow be a part of this.”

“Hey,” Darcy replied. “You should be happy he’s a part of this. I would have been dead without him and his amazing suit of rocket launching goodness.”

 _That_ gave him pause. “Anthony Stark protected you?”

“Yep. So did Sif...and technically the Idiots Three too. Although, I’m pretty sure they were mostly protecting Thor, and I just happened to be there.” Darcy rolled her eyes.

“The Idiots Three?” A corner of Loki’s mouth twitched. 

“I knew you would like that. It’s kind of inspired, right?” She skidded to a halt as they came out from behind an overturned tanker truck that had been obscuring their vision of the street beyond. “Whoa. I guess he _did_ get mew-mew back.”

Thor was leading an attack against the remaining Frost Giants. It seemed clear by the way he was smashing through them with his hammer, that all his powers had been restored. This was confirmed a few seconds later by Jane. 

“Darcy! Thank God you’re okay!” She ran over to them in a half-crouch from where she had been hiding inside the local deli. “We’ve been trying to get back to you, but then this happened.”

“I see it!” Darcy shouted back to be heard over the sound of the fight. “How did Thor get his powers back?”

“I don’t really know. We were coming to help you when we saw that one of the Frost Giants had a bunch of people cornered, and was demanding to know where Thor was. Of course they had no idea what it was talking about, and it was going to kill them, but Thor stepped in and offered himself in their place. Then all hell broke loose around him. One second he was standing there in the clothes he was wearing earlier, and the next all this armor appeared out of nowhere and his hammer crashed through a building and into his hand. I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s no scientific precedent for it at all. I can’t wait to put it in my journal.” 

Loki had been completely focused on Jane as she spoke, but the moment she finished he addressed Darcy. “I must join them. Seek shelter with Dr. Foster, and keep her safe.”

She nodded and watched as he turned to join the fight. It was the first time she’d ever seen Loki truly fighting. The exhibition during Thor’s coronation celebrations was nothing compared to him in action for real. He sized up his enemy in seconds, anticipating how they were going to move, and countering each strike with lethal, fluid movements. 

Darcy wondered why he wasn’t just using the Destroyer, and then she saw it was because the combatants were too close together. Then came the moment when one of the Frost Giants strayed too far from the pack. He’d been fighting with Volstagg, and stepped back to avoid a particularly heavy swing of the axe. Without any warning, the Destroyer flared to life, and left a pile of greasy ashes where the Jötunn had been.

“Aren’t we supposed to be hiding?” Jane asked.

They were both ducked down behind a large raised planter with a bunch of native succulents in it. Darcy shrugged. “Technically we are. At least if we’re out here, we can see the Jötunns coming.”

Jane seemed to accept that. The two of them remained where they were as the fight continued. 

“What do you think?” Fandral was shouting to the rest. “Shall we use the Svartalfheim Twist? Kiss of the Hag?”

“What about the Flying Mountain?” Volstagg yelled back as he circled the Frost Giant in front of him.

Everyone groaned. 

“Was it not the Flying Mountain that put Fandral’s back out last year?” Thor called back to them. 

“That is because he charged before I said three,” Volstagg argued. “Perhaps Darcy was correct when she said he could not count.”

“Yes. This is truly what I wish to debate in the middle of a battle,” Fandral groused. “Behind you, Hogun!”

Hogun spun around, but Loki had already seen the threat. The Frost Giant toppled forward with one of his daggers embedded in its eye. The tide seemed to turn then. Between the Destroyer and the small band of Asgardians, all the Jötunns began to fall. Finally there was only one left.

He slowly retreated as the group of warriors advanced on him. Darcy could see he was far from helpless, though. His crafty gaze slid over Thor, Loki, and the rest as they caged him in. 

“How many of you does it take to fell one Jötunn?” he mocked.

“Actually,” Tony’s sardonic voice replied, “it doesn’t take any of them. I’m willing to accept your surrender if you tell your friends to stay the fuck off my planet.”

Darcy looked up to see him standing on the roof of the deli, remaining artillery locked and loaded on the Frost Giant. “Where has he been?” she hissed at Jane.

“Remember that group of people that we found? Tony was making sure they got out of here safely.”

“Huh,” Darcy said. “He’s going up in my estimation all the time.”

“What’s it gonna be?” Stark asked the Jötunn. “I’m all for giving you time to decide, but those guys don’t exactly look patient.” He gestured at the half circle of warriors.

“You think I would surrender to one such as you?” the Frost Giant growled. 

Tony’s shoulders lifted nonchalantly. “Suit yourself.”

Darcy heard the hum that preceded his weapons firing, but instead of the sound of shots, there was a loud click.

“Dammit,” he muttered. “I knew getting thrown through that wall was a bad idea. JARVIS, how many of my weapons are still online?”

She couldn’t hear the response, but a volley of cursing followed whatever it was. Unfortunately, the Jötunn saw his opportunity in the confusion, and lunged towards Thor. Loki caught the movement and moved to block him, dagger flashing as it flew for Frost Giant’s chest. It hit with a thud. They all took a huge step back as he stumbled forward, one huge hand yanking the dagger free and tossing it to the ground. 

He then lifted his head to face Loki, eyes narrowed in hatred. “What sort of a prince kills his own people?”

Thor’s brow furrowed. “What does he mean?”

“Shit,” Darcy said.

Jane reached over and grabbed her hand. 

“The Son of Odin does not know what you are?” The Frost Giant’s mouth curved up in a mirthless smile, as blood seeped between his fingers from the wound in his chest.

“I think you ought to take a step back there, Freezer Burn,” Tony warned, and Darcy heard his weapons coming back online.

The Jötunn continued to smile. “Your threats mean nothing. I am dead already, but this way, perhaps my betrayer will be as well.”

With a speed none of them were expecting, the Frost Giant lunged forward, snatching at Loki. Darcy froze as she saw his hand close around Loki’s wrist. She was vaguely aware of Tony opening fire, and could see the Jötunn flinching as the bullets hit home, but her eyes were fixed on the blue coloration that was sweeping over Loki’s body.

Thor staggered backwards, staring at his brother in horror. As the Jotunn fell, Loki was able to jerk his hand free, and his body quickly resumed its Æsir form, but the damage had already been done. 

“Thor,” Loki said, taking a step towards his brother.

“No,” Thor replied sharply. “Stay where you are.”

The Warriors Three were staring as well. “So it is true,” Hogun said. “A Jötunn has been sitting on the throne of Asgard.”

“Thor,” Sif began, approaching him cautiously, “think before you act. He is your brother.”

“If he is a Frost Giant, then he was never my brother,” Thor replied after a long moment, shaking his head. 

Loki reeled as if he’d been struck. 

“Thor!” Sif exclaimed. “You were _raised_ together. Does that mean nothing?”

He looked at the Warriors Three. “Is this why you came? To warn me of his treachery? And you?” he said, motioning at Sif. “You came to stop them from telling me the truth?”

Darcy had been watching the scene unfold up until that point in a state of numb shock, but the pain on Loki’s face filled her with outrage.

“Sif and I came to stop them because they don’t _know_ the truth,” she said, face white with fury.

“Then he is not a Jötunn?” Thor’s gaze flicked over Loki. 

She paused, unsure of how to answer that when her goal was to protect Loki at all costs. 

It seemed that Loki decided to take the decision out of her hands, because he answered, “I am,” in a quiet tone.

Thor nodded slowly. “And the attack during my coronation, were you behind it?”

Loki met Thor’s accusatory gaze head on. “I was.”

“No,” Darcy whispered.

“Then this, my banishment to Midgard, the assault on Puente Antiguo, it was your fault as well?”

“I…” Loki started to say, but Thor stopped him.

“Is father alive?” he questioned harshly.

Loki swallowed. “Yes.”

As the tense atmosphere increased, Tony apparently decided to enter the fray. “Okay, listen, there seems to be a high possibility of fratricide at the moment, and normally I wouldn’t get involved, but this seems like the kind of thing everyone is going to regret later. Now, we’ve got a mostly intact diner just over there. Everyone who thinks we ought to sit down and talk this out like grown-ups over some pie raise their hands." 

Volstagg’s hand instantly went up, but Hogun glowered at him until he dropped it again.

“You overstep your bounds, Tony,” Thor responded. “This does not concern you.”

“Maybe,” Stark surmised, “but it’s about to concern Fury.” He pointed down the street where a caravan of S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles were converging on them.

“Then we will finish this on Asgard.” Thor looked up at the sky and shouted, “Heimdall, open the Bifrost!”

At first it didn’t seem like Heimdall was going to do it, but then the clouds began to churn, and the bridge thundered down to Earth. Darcy was standing closest to the contact site, and it knocked her backwards into the pavement. Before she could get to her feet, Thor had grabbed Loki and yanked him into the iridescent tunnel of light.

“Stop!” she screamed as the Warriors Three quickly followed. She raced after them, but the bridge retracted before she could get there.

Sif was standing on the other side of the runic markings on the ground, looking up into the sky, aghast. It was Jane who actually recovered first.

“Can you call it back?” she asked.

“I can try,” Sif replied. “Heimdall, open the bridge!”

Nothing happened.

“HEIMDALL!” Darcy shrieked. “OPEN THE GODDAMN BIFROST!!!”

Still nothing.

“Well, that worked,” Tony said sarcastically. “You two are clearly not on the guest list.”

“Unhelpful,” Darcy snapped. 

“No, this Heimdall guy is unhelpful. I’m just honest. And to prove that point, I'd like to remind everyone that we have our own Einstein-Rosen Bridge sitting in Jane's lab one block away.” Tony grinned at them.

Hope leapt in Darcy’s chest. “Nevermind. You’re totally helpful. Helpful, and brilliant, and I’m really sorry I said you weren’t.”

He powered up his suit and landed in front of her on the street. “Feel free to keep the compliments coming if you want. I’m not gonna stop you.”

“Tony can you stall Fury?” Jane asked, glancing at the approaching vehicles. 

“Have you even met me, Weird Science?”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

“Just so everyone knows, I’m considering this my charitable act for the year. So if anyone asks, I’ve already met my goal,” he replied, before taking off and heading towards the line of black SUVs.

A short time later, Darcy and Sif were standing in Jane’s lab while Jane warmed up the device. 

“Will this actually work?” Sif inquired dubiously.

Darcy solemnly handed her one of the doughnuts she’d taken from the diner on their way there. “Hopefully. Don’t drop your doughnut.”

“I told you they have nothing to do with it,” Jane sighed.

“Yeah, like I’m going to take any chances,” Darcy retorted. “Okay, fire it up, Bosslady.”

Jane slid the key into the slot, and the device hummed noisily as it began to spin. Light flowed over the top, and widened into a beam on the floor. 

“Good luck!” she yelled.

Just before they walked into the beam, Darcy turned to Sif and said, “Don't worry, I’ve set a personal goal not to vomit this time.”

She had a brief view of Sif’s alarmed expression before they were both pulled into the bridge with a sickening lurch, and sent flying on their way to back Asgard.


	46. Shock and Awe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga's vision, and Darcy's taser, finally make an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter would not have been posted without the help of Licieoic. She's a superstar. Thank you so much, Licie. Your suggestions were amazing. I'm sorry about the you know what. Did the Thai food help?
> 
> *************************************************************************

To Darcy’s great relief, she didn’t vomit when they arrived back on Asgard. Sif, however, was clutching a nearby tree, and retching into a pile leaves. 

“I know,” Darcy said sympathetically. “I’m so sorry. Heimdall’s bridge is built of rainbows, and Jane’s is built of speed bumps.”

“I will be fine,” Sif replied, spitting into the underbrush, and then wiping her mouth the back of her hand. “Is this where you landed the first time?”

Darcy turned in a small circle, trying to ascertain her whereabouts. There was a familiar stand of trees off to one side, and she darted over to look behind them. “Yes! Here’s the labyrinth!”

Sif’s nodded and her eyes began moving almost like she was reading the surrounding landscape. Finally she said, “If that is the entrance to the labyrinth, that means the Bifrost is this way.”

As if to prove her point, a muffled sound of clashing metal against metal met their ears. They both started to run. 

“How did you know they were still on the Bifrost?” Darcy asked as they raced towards the sound.

“Thor would want to keep a fight with his brother away from the palace where there are too many who could interfere.”

Darcy felt sick. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

The other girl looked over at her. “Darcy, we _will_ stop it before it goes too far. You have my word on that. They are experienced fighters, I doubt either one will have more than a few scratches by the time we get there.”

“You know that’s not exactly reassuring, right?”

The woods gave way to a wide, flat meadow. The Bifrost bridge was visible on the far side, spanning the flowing expanse of water beneath. Small figures were visible just outside of the observatory. It was apparent by the random flashes of magic and lightning just who those figures probably were. Darcy’s urgent need to get to Loki ratcheted up to Defcon One levels.

“How do we get up there?” she yelled, as she and Sif bolted across the meadow.

Sif glanced over at her. “We fly.”

Darcy blinked. “Um...is this some Asgardian thing I don’t know about? Vestigial wings or something?”

“Loki never showed you the longboats?” her friend shouted back, never breaking stride.

“You mean like his bed?” Darcy asked in confusion.

Sif’s eyes widened. “No. Although my knowledge of your relationship with him has just expanded far further than I ever wished. Do you see that shed?” She pointed towards a low, oblong building near the shore. “It houses the longboats. We are going to use one to reach the Bifrost.”

The longboats turned out to be flying viking ships that looked like they’d been designed by Jules Verne. Darcy didn’t have a spare second to appreciate their design, though. Sif promptly committed Asgard’s version of grand theft auto, boarding one of the boats, and hauling Darcy up after her.

“Hang on!” She threw the mooring rope off onto the floor, and sent the ship sailing towards the open doors at the far end of the room.

Darcy lost her footing, stumbling to one knee as they narrowly missed a group of guards on their way out. “Did we just steal a boat? We stole a boat! I can’t believe you stole a boat!”

“You act as if it is my first time,” Sif responded with a grin.

She smiled back, completely impressed. “If I wasn’t already with Loki, I’d ask you to marry me.” 

Sif laughed. “It would be wise not to give me incentive to leave Loki to his fate. DUCK!”

They whizzed around several trees at the edge of the water, bursting through the branches and up into the sky. Birds scattered with noisy squawks, and Darcy whooped loudly. Within seconds the longship had drawn up level with the bridge, the wings practically skimming the massive supports as Sif piloted the flying boat between them. Darcy could see the shadow of the ship flicker over the iridescent roadway below, as she tried to sort out the action down by the observatory. 

With Loki using Gungnir, and Thor using Mjölnir, it was hard to determine what exactly was going on. What she could see, was that all the magic and lightning had seriously damaged the Bifrost. There were long spidery cracks in the surface flowing in all directions around the two men as they continued to battle. 

The Warriors Three appeared to be just inside the Observatory archway, all three of them working to hold Heimdall at bay. Darcy noted with satisfaction that even with greater numbers, the Guardian of Asgard appeared to be more than a match for them. For all their efforts, he was quickly gaining ground.

She turned her attention back to the two brothers, and suddenly there were at least a dozen Lokis on the bridge. Thor stared at the clones for a brief moment before directing a monster blast of lightning at them. They were all thrown backwards in a scattered half-circle, the doubles disintegrating in a green haze of magic, and leaving only the true Loki lying on the bridge with Gungnir way out of reach. 

To make matters worse, a stream of lightning ricocheted off the the reflective surface of the Bifrost. It arced through the air, striking one of the longboat wings. The impact threw Darcy sideways, and showered them with splintered wood and metal. It was hard not to panic as they tilted hard to the left. Sif fought with the rudder, desperately trying to keep the ship stable to no avail.

“I cannot control it! We will have to jump!” she shouted to Darcy. 

Darcy looked up at the heavens for a second, wondering if whoever had planned this cosmic joke of an afternoon was enjoying themselves right now. “Of course we will! Why not, right?”

Jumping off a moving longboat sounded way easier in theory, which wasn’t really saying much. She tried to do a controlled roll, but still hit the Bifrost with a jarring crash that knocked the wind out of her. As soon as her body stopped tumbling, Darcy pushed to her hands and knees with her head hanging down, gasping for air. Then she looked up to see Thor advancing on Loki, who still looked unconscious. He was holding Mjölnir aloft in one hand, bolts of electricity crackling around it ominously. 

As she watched Thor threaten Loki, sound faded out into a muted hum, and Darcy’s vision turned to hazy shades of red. She rose up to her feet, scarcely aware of what she was doing, and ran straight towards the God of Thunder. She skidded to a stop between the two of them, sword drawn and leveled at Thor’s chest.

“Get your fucking hammer away from him,” she shrieked in a blind rage, still panting from her drop off the longship.

He actually had the poor sense to look amused. “Stand down, Darcy,” he answered. “I have no wish to harm you. This is not your fight. The traitor you are shielding has brought this upon himself.”

“Sorry, but this became my fight the minute you threatened his life, asshole. So I’m going to give you exactly three seconds to back. The fuck. Up. One...” She began.

Thor refused to retreat.

“Two...”

Sif interrupted the impending deathmatch, arriving on the scene with her own sword drawn. “Thor! Will you really allow a misunderstanding to lead to bloodshed? Is this the same man who just this hour rescued a town full of Midgardians?”

“Ask yourself why I had to rescue them, Sif. Who brought the Jötunns to Midgard?” he scoffed. “Who led them into Asgard? Who has been lying to me every step of the way since I was banished?” Without waiting for Sif to reply, he rounded on Loki again, hammer poised to strike.

“Three!” Darcy shouted, and her sword came in violent contact with Mjölnir as Thor brought his arm down.

She ground her teeth as a paroxysm of spasms gripped her from wrist to shoulder. Her weapon acted like a conductor, carrying the residual electricity in the hammer straight up her arm. Darcy tried to hold on, but couldn’t get her numb fingers to respond. Thor gave a satisfied nod as her sword dropped to the Bifrost with a loud clatter. 

“Do you yield?” he asked.

“Nope,” she responded, pulling the only weapon she had left.

Thor stared at the taser held in her shaking hands, face a mixture of anger and disbelief. “What is this? You dare threaten me with so puny a weapon?”

He made a move as if to take it from her, and Darcy squeezed the trigger. The taser prongs struck Thor in the neck just above where his armor ended. His face contorted, arms flying wide open as the voltage was transferred to his body. For a moment he kept his feet, then his knees buckled and he dropped to the Bifrost like a sack of rocks. 

The fight inside the Observatory came to an immediate halt. Darcy glanced at the Warriors Three, who were standing in a shocked semi-circle around Heimdall, as if they couldn’t decide what to do now. Sif was still running defense next to Darcy, and they all seemed reluctant to fight her. One by one, they lowered their weapons. The towering Guardian moved swiftly to position himself next to Sif. 

“Have I ever told you that you are unsurpassingly beautiful when angry?” Loki declared in a weak voice from behind her.

“Hey,” she said, kneeling down at his side. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here faster. We had to take Jane’s Bifrost, and it dumped us in the woods.”

Loki tried to push himself up into a sitting position, but wasn’t able to manage it, slumping back to the ground with a grimace. “Forgive me for not greeting you with more enthusiasm. Lightning is hell on the ribs.”

“I see that.” Her lips compressed with worry. “Broken?”

He nodded, helmet scratching the Bifrost noisily.

“Can you get your armor off with magic?” Darcy asked.

“I’m afraid everything is I have left is going towards healing,” Loki answered. 

“Gotcha. Good thing I’m familiar with undressing you, right?” 

He gave her a small, tight, smile in response. She gently undid some of the buckles on his armor, wincing as his jaw clenched in agony. Eventually Loki began to breathe a bit easier, and Darcy sat back on her heels, watching anxiously for him to start healing.

“You look like a hen fussing over a chick,” he mused with a grimace.

“Don’t expect me to start clucking or anything.” Darcy carefully removed his helmet, allowing his head to rest on the ground without the cumbersome horns constantly scraping.

“I cannot believe you rendered my brother unconscious with that tiny device.” Loki’s lifted one hand, gesturing the direction of Thor’s prostrate form.

She spared a glance at Thor, who was being checked over by Sif, and then said, “Yeah, you’d think the God of Thunder would be better at handling a few volts of Midgardian electricity, right?”

Loki chuckled, then grunted in pain. 

“Don’t you dare die on me, Mischief,” she ordered. “I told Sif I’d marry her if there was no you, and I think she’d hold me to that.”

“Have no fear, Darcy. My injuries are not fatal. Sif will just have to manage her disappointment.”

A loud groan kept her from answering him. Thor was stirring. Darcy watched nervously as his friends joined Sif at his side. Loki looked wary as well. She had no idea what to expect, but drew small comfort from the fact that Heimdall was still poised to protect Loki if they needed it. 

“Can you get up yet?” she asked him in a low tone. 

“No,” Loki replied. “We will just have to reason with him.”

Darcy rubbed her hand over her forehead in frustration. “Fantastic.” 

Sif was speaking quickly to Thor’s friends as they all stood over him, waiting for his eyes to open. Her voice was quiet, but snippets of the conversation were audible here and there. It seemed that she was explaining what had really happened with the Jötunn invasion, and why Loki had done what he had done. Heimdall was adding to it in his deep voice as well. They were all listening intently. Volstagg looked vastly relieved, but ashamed. He kept looking over at Loki as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the right words. Fandral was asking questions, and Hogun’s face was as impassive as ever. 

As they were finishing, Thor came to, struggling to stand almost immediately. Volstagg grasped his upper arm with his one of his large, powerful hands, assisting Thor up, but also effectively preventing him from taking any action against Loki and Darcy. 

“Steady there, my friend,” he said, eyes finding Darcy’s and giving her a reassuring smile. “We would not want to upset the Lady Darcy again. It seems we may have slightly underestimated her capabilities on the battlefield.”

Thor grabbed the prongs of the taser and pulled them free, staring at them for a moment in disgust before throwing them on the ground. “I will not make that mistake again,” he said, glancing at her and Loki. “Why have you allowed my brother to go free?”

Fandral cleared his throat. “We may have slightly… misjudged the situation when we came to you on Midgard.”

“Misjudged?” Thor snorted. “He admitted to the lies himself.”

“Yes, Loki lied,” Sif said, “but have you even asked what the reasons for those lies might be?”

“Is it not obvious?” Thor asked her, waving his hand angrily. “He wanted the throne. My banishment allowed him to have it.”

Sif shook her head sadly at him. “Oh, Thor… Loki had no hand in your banishment. It was the Allfather’s decision to send you to Midgard. Or have you forgotten that?”

“And what of the lies since then? Hiding his lover on Asgard? Concealing the truth of what he was from us all?”

“Perhaps that question is better answered by your mother,” Sif replied. “It was she that decided Darcy should be hidden within the court. She also knew of Loki’s true origins, and saw fit to give him the throne in your father’s absence. Will you doubt her motivations as well?”

For the first time, Thor showed a trace of uncertainty. “Is this true?” he turned to ask his friends, but it was Heimdall who answered.

“The Lady Sif speaks the truth. Your mother knew all.”

Thor’s shoulders sagged. “I do not understand. How long has she known?”

When no one answered immediately, Darcy spoke up. “From the moment Odin brought Loki back from Jötunheim. And, in case you were wondering, your brother didn’t know what he was until after you were banished. But should it really matter? Not every Jötunn is guilty for the things Laufey decided to do, just like not every Asgardian is guilty for the bad decisions you made in Jötunheim. Leaders make mistakes. You can’t hold a whole race of people responsible for those mistakes, and that’s what you’re still doing. You’re blaming all of Jötunheim for a war that happened a thousand years ago. Laufey’s gone. Loki killed him to protect Asgard. So you tell me, Thor, how does that make him a traitor? Because I just don’t see it.”

“Then why tell me my father was dead when he still lived?” Thor demanded, and Darcy got the impression that he was grasping at the last possible straw.

“I was trying to save your life.” Loki’s words were punctuated by a sharp, grating breath as he finally sat up. “One of Laufey’s conditions for peace with Jötunheim was your death. I thought if I could keep you hidden on Midgard, he would not know I had not fulfilled that part of the bargain. Granted, it may not have been my best decision, but had your friends not gone to bring you back, it may have worked.”

“Did you truly kill Laufey?” Thor asked him.

Loki looked away for a moment. “I found him in our father’s bedchamber, preparing to take his life. There was little else I could do. I do not want to be the son of a monster. I did not choose this, Thor.”

His brother looked visibly moved. For the first time since she and Sif had left Asgard that morning, Darcy started to think things might be okay. 

Several long moments passed while Thor appeared to be searching for what to say. Finally he returned his gaze to Loki, and said, “I have been the true monster. Had it not been for my actions, none of this would have happened.”

“Actually, had I not been trying to return Darcy to Midgard in secret, none of this would have happened,” Loki asserted. “Laufey discovered us in Jötunheim and threatened her life unless I found a way to deliver the Casket to him.”

Thor’s lips twitched with humor. “And you decided my coronation was the best time that?”

“I admit, it was a bit of a tactical error,” Loki replied, beginning to grin as well. 

“As I recall, I was the one who insisted she go home,” his brother pointed out. “Therefore I am correct in assuming it was my fault.”

“Actually,” Darcy piped up, retrieving her sword and sliding it home in the scabbard, “Jane was the one who sent me here. So if you really want to blame somebody, you can blame her.”

“That charming astronomer?” Fandral asked.

“Astrophysicist,” Thor and Darcy corrected at the same time.

“Ah, of course,” the warrior replied even though it was clear that he had no idea what they were talking about.

Yep. Things were definitely going to be okay…or so Darcy thought. She should have known better. For months afterwards, she hated herself for ever relaxing her guard, because if she hadn’t, what happened next might have ended very, very differently.

There was a screech. An angry scream that cut through the air, and gave Darcy just enough warning to turn before Ærndís came running from where she must have been hiding in the Observatory. She leapt on Darcy, knocking her into one of the bridge supports, silver blade sparkling in her hand. 

“You bitch! You deceitful, Midgardian whore!” 

Darcy struggled to get a grip on Ærndís’ wrist as the crazed woman lifted the dagger to strike. Unfortunately she misjudged the distance and the sharp knife gashed her palm. Blood welled up in the deep cut, making Darcy's grasp almost useless. 

There was flurry of motion as everyone began to react. Ærndís wrenched her arm free, and the dagger sliced Darcy’s side below her breastplate. The enraged woman pushed Darcy backwards, giving herself enough room to strike again. 

Acting on instinct, Darcy yanked her sword free of the scabbard. The world around her slowed to a crawl as it came up, light glinting off the razor-edge surface. Ærndís saw it, but was unable to stop the forward momentum of her body, and the sword embedded itself in her ribs with a visceral thunk that Darcy would never forget.

Her mouth popped open, but no sound came out. She glanced down at her chest, dagger still held poised above Darcy, but dropped it when she saw the rapidly growing patch of blood around Darcy’s sword. 

Darcy stared at her fingers still wrapped around the grip, and then shifted to Ærndís’ face. The woman was glaring at her with such a look of hatred that Darcy flinched from it. Then all the untapped fury and rage from the whole day seemed to boil up in her at once.

Loki had almost been killed because of Ærndís. All of this, all the fighting, and all the insanity unleashed on Midgard had been due to this one poisonous person. And that was besides the fact that Ærndís had just fucking _stabbed_ her.

And for what? FOR WHAT? Jealousy? Resentment? A higher position at court? How the hell was any of that more important than people's’ lives?

Darcy was done. Completely, totally, and utterly done.

Forcing back the pain from her injuries, she curled both hands around her sword’s grip, and gave a sharp twist. Then she leaned in close to Ærndís, so the other woman’s face was inches from hers, and hissed, “Who’s the bitch now?”, before yanking the blade back out.

Ærndís staggered backwards, blood puddling on the ground at her feet. She turned, as if to run, but lost her balance and crumpled to the Bifrost in a heap. Immediate threat taken care of, Darcy’s stab wounds started clamoring for attention. She faltered, clasping a nearby railing for support. 

An ominous creaking snapped her back in reality. The surface of the Bifrost shuddered, and she looked down in alarm to see the cracks in the bridge widening. Her eyes snapped up to Loki’s in fear.  
.  
“Darcy, I want you to walk to me. Slowly,” he commanded, climbing unsteadily to his feet.

.“I don’t think I can,” she replied, as the threadlike fissures spread all around her. A chunk of the Bifrost spiraled away into the empty space beneath them

He slid one foot forward, stretching out his arm so she could take his hand. “Please, Darcy.”

By this time a jagged chasm had cut them off from the rest of the group, and Thor and his friends could do nothing but watch as the bridge continued to crumble. The section holding Ærndís’ body gave way, making it impossible for Darcy to reach Loki even if she wanted to. She cringed tightly into the small space left to her on a narrow ledge with the bridge supports at her back.

And then those supports disappeared. 

Flailing helplessly, Darcy began plummet. She closed her eyes in terror, and then something hit her with enough force to knock the air straight out of her lungs. Wind whistled in her ears as she was launched sideways with Thor’s thick, muscular arm wrapped around her. Before she could even sort out what had happened, her feet touched down on a stable part of the Bifrost.

“Did you just fly???” she asked him, still not sure how it all went down.

“I used Mjölnir,” he answered, brandishing the hammer in one hand.

“Oh. Of course. Mew-mew flies. Why didn’t I know that? Wait. Where’s Loki?” Darcy whipped around trying to locate him. What she saw made her heart stop.

He’d seen what Thor had done, and was struggling to get to them, but the bridge was collapsing around him at a breakneck speed. As it stood, he was never going to make it. Darcy started running. She had this crazy thought that if she could just reach him before the cracks did, everything would be okay. But it wasn’t.

With an almost deafening roar, about twenty feet of the Bifrost imploded inwards. Her final image of Loki was him being swept away with it, and then he was gone.

*******************************************

Three days later, they set an empty boat ablaze in the harbor. Darcy stood on the shore and watched as it made its slow progress to the waterfall at the edge of Asgard. No stars ascended when it finally tipped over the edge. There was no soul on board to be set free.

Darcy’s throat hurt, and her eyes burned, and the only person who could have possibly made it all okay had been lost to her forever. She wondered what it would feel like to tip over the falls herself. Then she thought she probably already knew. A long, interminable descent into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nobody kill me.
> 
> This is not the end.
> 
> I promise.


	47. Scars and Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because giving up is never an option for Darcy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. *waves nervously* Soooooo. Everyone kind of wanted to kill me after the last chapter. I get that. I do. It was a rough ending. This one, I hope, will brighten everyone up a little. 
> 
> I know I usually work really hard to answer everyone's reviews, but there were so many on chapter 46, and I didn't get to them all before I got this chapter done. So please forgive me if I didn't answer yours yet. I promise I'm not ignoring anyone, and I read every single one. Just let me say that I love that you are all out there reading, and reviewing. It means the world to me. I write because I can't _not_ write, and knowing people enjoy reading my stuff is everything. Thank you so much for that.
> 
> *********************************************************************

It had been a week. A week of standing by while everyone mourned Loki. A week of feasting, and displays, and listening to past tense songs about the man she loved. The whole thing had been excruciating to Darcy, because despite what had happened out on that bridge, and all the evidence to the contrary, she refused to accept that Loki simply didn’t exist anymore. She was sure his death should have _felt_ like something, or, in truth, should have not felt like something, because the cuff remained warm with his essence around her wrist.

In her heart, Darcy believed that if Loki was really dead, the bracelet would have gone dead as well. While her sense of him was distant, a low hum instead of the vibrant energy she was used to, it was still there. And that constant presence gave her hope.

It was what kept her going while she watched the Bifrost repairs from the wide balcony outside Loki’s bedroom. There wasn’t much else to do, really. Frigga was in mourning, and her ladies were an unfriendly reminder to Darcy of Ærndís. That alone was enough to keep her from venturing into the Queen’s rooms. Not that Frigga wasn’t a frequent visitor in Darcy’s. Other than herself, Loki’s mother made sure no one else disturbed Darcy aside from the healers who were seeing to her wounds.

She picked fretfully at the bandage around her palm. The cut itched underneath, and had a habit of reopening if she used her hand too often. Sif said it would likely scar. The slash in Darcy’s side was already scarring. It was a ugly thing, raw pink edges puckering as it healed. 

Scars were no big deal, though. She could handle them. What was harder to take at the moment were the nightmares. Nobody had bothered to tell Darcy when they were teaching her how to use a sword that actually killing someone with it could practically destroy you mentally. Even if it was someone you hated, and their death was self-defense.

Night after night she’d woken up screaming as the disaster on the bridge played out in dreams. It had gotten so bad that Darcy was pushing the sheets and blankets off the bed before she went to sleep because otherwise she’d end up half-suffocated in them from thrashing around. Suffice to say, she wasn’t sleeping much.

It was after one of these sleepless nights that Frigga found her sitting in a chair, staring numbly into the empty fireplace. Loki’s mother didn’t say a word. Just quietly seated herself in the other chair, and covered Darcy’s hand with her own.

That small gesture proved Darcy’s undoing. Tears coursed down her frozen cheeks, a small trickle at first, but quickly turning into an absolute torrent. It was ugly crying. The snotty, blotchy kind that left her feeling wrung out afterwards. Frigga was there through it all with kind, motherly arms, and tears on her own face.

“I know,” she said, when Darcy had finally wound down to red eyes and occasional shudders. “Oh my dear, I know. It has been so very hard to lose him.”

Darcy shook her head stubbornly. “He’s not gone.”

“You believe that very strongly, don’t you?” Frigga asked, eyes searching Darcy’s face.

“Because it’s the truth. I’d know if Loki was…” She took a shaky breath. “...if he was dead. And he’s not. I can still _feel_ him, Frigga.” Darcy held her wrist out to show the bracelet. “He’s faint, but he’s still there.”

Loki’s mother carefully traced over the surface of the cuff with her fingertips. “Oh,” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand. “This...what you have, Darcy, it is so very precious. Tell me, did Loki ever explain to you how the binding spell worked?”

“No. I just know we could use the bracelets to convey messages, and feelings, and we could find each other if we got separated. He usually used that part, though.” 

Frigga stroked over the smooth metal again. “In order to work a spell like that, Loki would have had to enclose some of his magic in your cuff, but it is more than just that. There would have been something like his essence, what made him who he was, included as well. That is how the two of you were able to connect mentally, and it is how you could locate each other.”

“Does that mean something from me is in his cuff?” Darcy asked.

“Yes,” Frigga answered. “The two of you carry a part of each other inside the bracelets. It is a powerful thing. What you are feeling is that residual magic. You hold the only thing left of my son around your wrist, Darcy. That is why I said it is precious. This little circle of gold is an incredible gift.”

Darcy rubbed her thumb over the cuff. “So you’re saying what I feel is some sort of echo of Loki?”

“An echo, but it could perhaps be tapped. The cuff itself belongs to you, and not in the common way of a possession belonging to someone. It is attuned to you, therefore, any magic in it is yours to control.”

“Yeah, but I’m not like you and Loki,” she protested. “I can’t just make magic happen.”

Frigga smiled. “Every time you used it to send a message to my son, you were controlling the magic inside.”

“I see,” Darcy replied dully. Knowing she had magic at her fingertips wasn’t enough to make up for the fact that Frigga had just destroyed any hope that she still had a connection to Loki.

“I am sorry, Darcy. I know you were hoping it was more,” Loki’s mother said sympathetically.

She tried to compose her features into something less disappointed. There was no point in hurting Frigga for something she had no control over. Besides, out of everyone else, Frigga was the one who felt Loki’s loss as keenly as Darcy did. 

“I’m okay.” She swallowed, the lie burning in her throat. “I think maybe I just need a little time alone.”

Frigga’s whole face softened. “Of course.” She rose from her chair, and pressed a kiss to the top of Darcy’s head. “You know where I am, should you need me.”

After she left, Darcy climbed into bed. She wrapped her arms around one of the pillows Loki had often used, burying her face in the soft fabric. The scent of him washed over her, a bittersweet kind of comfort. Her mind played over the conversation with Frigga until the whole thing seemed ragged at the edges.

She didn’t want to believe an echo was all she was feeling. She couldn’t. Carefully rearranging the pillow back on the other side of the bed, Darcy got up and pulled a knitted shawl over her shoulders. Then she made her way outside of the palace, ignoring the kindly glances of staff and members of the court. 

The Bifrost loomed ahead of her. She could see the workers attempting repairs on the ruined Observatory, and there, just before the giant chasm, the unmistakable shape of Heimdall keeping his watch. It was the first time she’d set foot on the bridge since Loki had fallen. Each step twisted her stomach up until it was nothing but a mass of knots. 

Finally she reached Heimdall. He was standing with his great sword in his hands, and his eyes fixed somewhere on the horizon. Now that she was there, Darcy wasn’t sure how to begin.

“You have a question for me,” Heimdall said in a far quieter voice than Darcy had ever heard him use before. 

“Can you… Can you see him?” she asked hesitantly. “Even if what you see isn’t what I want to hear. Please, Heimdall, can you see him?”

He turned to her then, golden eyes full of sadness. “I have been searching, but he is beyond my vision.”

Darcy fought back the tears. “Thank you.” She turned to go.

“I would be grateful for your company, should you wish to stay,” he offered.

She paused. What was waiting for her back at the palace, anyway? A thousand painful reminders that she no longer had Loki? Darcy thought maybe she could use a little quiet company as well. So she stayed, watching the skies with Heimdall.

Time passed, she wasn’t sure how much, and then Heimdall said, “You have faith that he is still alive.”

“I can’t help it,” she replied. “I think I’m the only one, though. That part is hard.”

“They would be wise to consider your feelings.”

Darcy stared at him. “You think I might be right?”

“I believe faith that strong should never be underestimated.” Heimdall gazed down at her. “I cannot see Loki, but I do know your part in this is far from finished. I also know your fate will take you away from Asgard.”

“Are you saying I should go back to Earth?” she demanded. She knew Heimdall was kind of enigmatic, but his speaking in riddles really wasn’t helping her much.

“I am.”

“Okay, but what’s there that isn’t here?”

He shifted, light glinting off the huge helmet he wore. “Your friend Jane Foster, does she not have a Bifrost of her own?”

“Yeah, but she can’t control it the way you do,” Darcy replied. “It’s pretty much a one way ticket into the Asgardian woods.”

“It is too bad, then, that there exists nothing which could lead to Loki. I suspect such an item would create focus for her device.” Heimdall cast a pointed glance at her wrist, and then returned to his study of the skies.

Understanding made her knees weak, and she wobbled slightly where she stood. He had just told her how to find Loki. “Oh my God. I’ve got to get home. Heimdall, thank you so much.”

“You are welcome, Darcy Lewis. I will be watching for you.” He gestured at the heavens.

“I’ll try to remember to wave,” she responded, and Heimdall gave a low, rumbling laugh.

Darcy rushed back to the palace. All she could think was that she needed to get ready, and tell Frigga that she was going to take the hidden passageway back to Earth. It wasn’t exactly clear yet what Darcy would do once she showed up in Norway, but she guessed that if she called Jane, she and Tony could figure something out. Hopefully it would something private-jet related.

The moment she got back to her rooms, Darcy started digging out the things she’d brought from Midgard and throwing them onto the bed. Her back was to the door when it opened, and she just assumed it was Frigga.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go home,” Darcy began, without turning around. “Can you help me do that?”

“I can, if you are certain that is what you want to do. You are welcome to stay on Asgard for as long as you wish.”

The voice that answered her didn’t belong to Frigga. Darcy spun around in shock to find herself facing Odin himself.

“Holy shit.”

The eyebrow over his good eye rose up in censure.

“No, no...sorry. Pretend I didn’t say that. You just completely threw me off. Probably because the last time I saw you, you were in a coma, and I’m sorry, but when did you wake up? Am I allowed to ask that? Why are you in my room? Sorry! I ramble when I’m nervous. Hopefully Frigga already mentioned that, and I’m going to stop now.” Darcy closed her mouth before her first time talking to Loki’s father could turn into more of an unmitigated disaster.

“My wife had mentioned something to that effect. As to why I am here, this is my kingdom and my palace. I am at liberty to go wherever I wish. It is one of the advantages of being king,” Odin replied, enunciating his words in a way that made them sound like they were all made up of sharp corners and angles. 

She felt a thread of annoyance. Fine he was king or whatever, but that didn’t give him the right to just show up in people’s bedrooms and scare the crap out of them. 

“Not to be disrespectful, but isn’t knocking usually customary before you walk into a lady’s bedroom?” she challenged.

He gave her a long, hard stare. Then, to her disbelief, he nodded his head in acquiescence. “You _are_ disrespectful, but you are also correct. Perhaps we could begin again? I am Odin, King of Asgard.”

“Darcy Lewis,” she replied, feeling sort of weird with the introductions. He obviously knew who she was.

“You are the girl who saved my son.”

She shook her head. “I’m the girl that wasn’t fast enough to save your son.”

“I am speaking of Thor,” he corrected. 

“Thor?” Darcy looked at him like he was crazy. “I didn’t do anything for Thor.”

“You prevented him from killing his brother, and somehow, your words reached him when mine did not. I owe you a debt of gratitude, Miss Lewis. That is something I do not regard lightly.”

“This is about Thor?” she asked, starting to get angry. “ _Really_? Loki fell off the Bifrost, but this is about Thor?”

He noted her words with a frown. “You misunderstand. I have lost one son. Had Thor killed Loki, I would have lost them both.”

“I see.” Darcy ground her teeth together. Was he for fucking real right now? “Well I’m glad I could help with that. I’m sure you and Thor have lots of amazing father and son stuff to talk about. Don’t let me hold you up.”

Odin apparently didn’t like her tone. Displeasure flashed in his eye as he responded, “You are not the only one who is grieving, Miss Lewis. Loki was my son as much as Thor.”

“Stop calling me Miss Lewis! I’m just Darcy. And Loki may have been your son, but he was my everything! And I couldn’t save him. Nothing I did was enough! I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t do anything but see him falling! So please don’t come here to commend me for saving Thor. I don’t give a shit about Thor. Thor isn’t falling through space right now, lost and alone. Loki is!” She stopped, panting, and reached for the curving frame of the bed for support. Then she looked up at Odin and said, “Loki is, and that’s the only thing that matters to me.”

A long silence followed her tirade. Darcy wondered if maybe he was going to leave without saying anything else, and just have her escorted out of the palace. It seemed a likely consequence for screaming at the King of Asgard. Instead the lack of conversation stretched on to the point where she didn’t know what to do.

Odin wasn’t even looking at her anymore. Darcy realized he was staring at the view of the Bifrost outside her window. When he began to speak again, all the fire had gone out of his voice.

“As I said, you are not the only one in mourning. Regardless of his origins, I loved Loki as my own child. Your actions to protect him did not go unnoticed by me, nor did the feelings the two of you shared. The Odinsleep does not prevent me from knowing what goes on in my own kingdom. My son loved you.”

“Loves,” she replied, stressing the tense. 

“Ah yes. Frigga told me you believe him to be still alive.”

“There’s no proof otherwise,” Darcy countered. “You guys might have set that boat on fire, but I’m not ready to give up on him yet. Loki never does what anyone expects. Why would this be any different?”

He gave her a shrewd glance. “You know him well.”

“Living with someone in close quarters for a couple months will do that,” she said dryly. 

“Indeed.”

She was relieved that the tension seemed to have eased. In truth, Odin looked relieved as well. He probably hadn’t expected a fight when he walked into her room unannounced. 

“So,” Darcy said. “You were saying something about me being able to go home before.”

“You may if that is truly what you want. I had intended to offer you a permanent place at court as recompense for your recent heroism. You have certainly earned it,” Odin replied.

“I appreciate the offer, but there’s something I need to do at home. Really all I need is some help getting to the passageway between realms. I can do the rest.”

“The passageway is unnecessary. I shall return you myself,” he asserted.

She blinked at him. “Come again?”

“I shall use dark matter to return you to Midgard.” Odin seemed to think this was a perfectly rational explanation. 

Darcy thought it sounded perfectly terrifying. “Dark matter? Nevermind. I don’t think I want to know.”

“A wise decision,” he said. “I expect you will need to make your goodbyes. Come to me when you are done.”

“Um...where exactly?” she asked. 

He glanced at her severely. “I am the King. My place is on the throne.”

“Of course. Sorry. I knew that.” Darcy was pretty proud of herself for not rolling her eyes. Loki must have had so much fun growing up with this autocratic fuck as his dad. She couldn’t even imagine what holidays must have been like. Of course, they probably all celebrated Odin. Weird. And he was still standing there. That was odd. It was like he was expecting her to do something else…. Oh. Right.

Darcy curtsied. “Thank you.”

Odin inclined his head, then abruptly turned and left. 

Well. That had been fun. At least she was getting a trip home out of it. Darcy tossed the things laid out on her bed into a bag, and went to find Frigga and Sif to say goodbye.


	48. Goonies Never Say Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Sass and Science makes a breakthrough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Hi everyone!!!! So, a few things about this chapter. I am not in any way a scientist. Yep. Or a mathematician. I can, however, make shit up like nobody's business. Therefore, that is what I have done. Just suspend your sense of disbelief, because the fakest science that ever scienced is about to happen. (and no, not the smexytimes kind of science, but I promise that is coming in the next chapter and it will be hella mathematical and accurate)
> 
> I'm also going to get all rebellious with canon... Like Tesseract canon. And Thanos canon. I figure, if they can make Jane's anomaly finding device work backwards to CREATE anomalies in TtDW, I can totally mess with her Einstein-Rosen Bridge and the Tesseract to make them work for me here. 
> 
> Finally, I do not own the Goonies. I love that movie, though. Love it. If you haven't seen it, please do so. It's got pirates, and booby traps, and a scary lady mob boss, and possibly the only group of misfit teenagers that I love more than the ones in the Breakfast Club. Omg, and Sloth. The Sloth/Chunk friendship is a thing of beauty. Trust me.
> 
> *********************************************************************************

Traveling by dark matter was Darcy’s new least favorite way to get places. Of course, it could have been her traveling companion that made it so unpleasant. Odin didn’t really improve much upon further acquaintance. Frankly, Darcy was glad the see the back him, even if being home meant a desolate apartment with the bed still unmade from when she and Loki had used it.

Her first order of business was to call Jane. Darcy tried to keep it together during the call, but it ended with Jane arriving at the door, arms full of ice cream containers, and phone wedged between her shoulder and ear so she could let herself in. There was sobbing, and explanations, and Darcy practically had to physically stop Jane from going to Asgard to have a private chat with Thor about what an asshole she thought he was.

Unlike everyone else so far, Jane had no problem believing Loki could still be alive. Darcy wasn’t sure if her staunch support was based on science, or their friendship, but she was grateful for it nonetheless. She asked tons of questions about Darcy’s cuff, carefully examining every aspect of it. 

“There has to be a science to the magic,” Jane was saying, tapping a pen against her lips with a thoughtful frown. “The way you two use it to locate each other… That has to be something like how the Einstein-Rose Bridge locks onto destination. I just have to figure out how to channel that homing frequency through the bridge.” She scribbled a long line of figures down in her notebook. “Don’t worry, Darce. If I could build the bridge out of mostly spare components scavenged from craigslist, I can do this.”

“I’m counting on it, Obi-Wan,” Darcy replied. “You’re kind of my only hope.”

Jane just smiled and wrapped her arm around Darcy’s shoulders. “I’m going to get us more ice cream. What do you want this time?”

“Did you get rocky road?”

“Are you kidding me? Does an electron govern the chemical properties in an atom?”

“I’m political science, Jane...not science science,” Darcy reminded her.

“Yes. I got rocky road. You stay here, I’ll top off our bowls.” Jane scooped up the two bowls, and carted them into the kitchen.

And that is how Darcy resumed her internship with a considerably larger stake in results of Jane’s experiments. Every second not spent at S.H.I.E.L.D. was spent inside Jane’s small lab, trying to get the calibrations correct between the bridge and the bracelet. It was the most frustrating trial and error on Earth until Tony got involved. Then it became a frustrating trial and error with much better takeout.

“See, the way I look at it,” he said, dipping a pair of chopsticks into a box of massaman curry, “you don’t need to connect the bracelet to the bridge. You just need to recalibrate the stream so it’s less intense, and have Darcy stand in it.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Jane mumbled around the pencil clenched between her teeth. She finished twisting her hair up into a bun, and jammed the pencil into it.

Tony pointed at Jane’s device with his chopsticks. “Instead of setting it so that it transports her, set it so that it opens up access to the portal and have her stand in it wearing the bracelet. Then she can do her whole Harry Potter thing, and it will amplify the signal. If loverboy is within range, he’ll get the message.”

“Range of what? It still only transmits to Asgard, and he’s not there,” Darcy said. She sat on top of of the table, pulling one of the takeout bags into her lap. “Have you seen the drunken noodle? I know I ordered drunken noodle.”

“Okay, lets just say, for argument's sake, that I’m a brilliant technical genius…” he began.

“You forgot humble and modest,” Darcy retorted, throwing a fried dumpling at him.

“Hey, I was going to eat those,” Tony replied petulantly. “Do you want hear this or not? I’m not the one with a missing demi-god boyfriend, you are. Also, I paid for the food that you’re throwing around. Don’t forget that.”

“You own the restaurant,” Jane pointed out. “Nobody paid for anything.”

“I _bought_ the restaurant. So yes, I did in fact pay. Anyway, as I was saying when Dory here interrupted me…”

Darcy sighed. Calling her random names starting with a D was his new thing.

“...if we changed the strength of the transport beam, and she put her wrist in it, we might be able to increase the strength of the cuff’s signal. Then Daisy can do her little location voodoo to lock in on the Prince of Snide and send him a message. We track the trajectory of said signal, and we’ll have his location.”

“Prince of Snide? Really? That’s the best you could come up with?” She rolled her eyes.

Tony shrugged. “Look, Dante, you said the horns are off-limits. I’ve got to work with what’s left.”

Jane hadn’t answered. She was standing there staring at Tony like he’d just sprouted wings. Then she whirled around and grabbed her notebook, rapidly scanned several pages, and dropped it back on the table.

“He’s right.”

“What?” Darcy immediately straightened up.

“He’s right,” Jane repeated. “I mean, it will take some serious tweaking, but it can be done.”

“Told you.” Stark smiled smugly. 

The two girls looked at each other for a moment, and then Darcy jumped off the table with a squeal and hugged Jane.

“Oh, hey. That’s great. Hug her. It’s fine. Don’t thank me or anything,” Tony said. “I’m just the pile of chopped liver who bought lunch, and solved the missing boyfriend equation while using chopsticks. It was nothing.”

“If I hug you, can you refrain from making a comment about my boobs?” Darcy asked with narrowed eyes.

Stark pursed his lips. “You’re asking a lot here, Delta.”

“There’s your answer,” Jane said. “Has anyone seen my Phillips-head screwdriver? I need to take the control panel off.”

Twenty minutes later, Jane was deep in recalibrations while Tony leaned over her shoulder with a soldering gun. Darcy was parked back on the table, watching and occasionally looking things up on the laptop for them. Between her and JARVIS, they’d managed to hack into the S.H.I.E.L.D. network undetected, and she could access Jane’s data there for help.

Technically she could access anything, even the top secret files. Which was exactly what she was doing at the moment. The file she was currently perusing was seriously encrypted. Fortunately, JARVIS was amazing at breaking encryption, and Darcy watched as the screen filled up with information.

“Hey,” she called over to Tony after reading for a few minutes. “Did you know about this Tesseract thing?”

“What, the cube Nicky’s got hidden the basement?” he replied. “Yeah, they picked it up with the Capsicle.”

“Shhhh, I haven’t got to the ‘Capsicle’ yet. Don’t spoil it,” Darcy said. “Anyway, did you know Selvig’s working on this thing?”

“Erik?” Jane looked up in astonishment. “That’s got to be a mistake. He flat out refused to have anything to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. when they confiscated our research.”

Darcy shook her head. “Uh-uh. It says right here, ‘lead scientific advisor, Dr Erik Selvig’. How many Erik Selvigs can there be in Puente Antiguo?”

“Did you know about this?” Jane asked Tony.

“I knew Fury was keeping a magic space cube in the basement, but not who he had working on it. Do you need me to get that wire?” He held up the soldering gun, and pointed to a loose connection on the control pad.

She nodded. “I just can’t believe he’s working for Fury. Why wouldn’t he tell me?”

“Maybe because the project is confidential and he knew you’d freak out and ask a million questions?” Darcy offered. 

“Ding ding,” Stark said, holding up a finger. “It’s Dina for the win. Also, this is done. Who’s ready to fire it up?”

“Me.” Darcy hopped off the table, nervous butterflies swarming in her stomach. She was trying to keep herself from getting too excited. There was a good chance it wouldn’t work. 

But there was also it chance it would.

She crossed the room to where Jane was starting to power up the bridge, and took the safety goggles Tony handed her. Not that they would be much help if things blew up or caught fire...or even if it transported her to Asgard again, but it did make things feel more official and sciencey. 

“Okay,” Jane said, voice raised to combat the humming of the machine, “just your wrist. Nothing else. If it starts to pull you in, Tony and I will grab you. Got it?”

Darcy positioned herself next to the spherical top of the bridge, where light was already spilling down the sides. “Yep. Let’s do this.”

Jane pressed the button. After a second of hesitation, Darcy thrust her hand into the energy stream. It swirled and coalesced furiously around her arm, covering it up to her elbow. There was a decent amount of pull, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Taking a deep breath, she emptied her mind of every thought but one: find Loki.

Nothing. Darcy tried again. Still nothing. She screwed her face up in concentration, putting everything she had into it.

“Do you need to take a break?” Jane shouted. “Maybe we don’t have the numbers right.”

“No.” Darcy bit her lip. “Just give me a little more time. I want to try again.”

“Darcy this is just a test run. If it doesn’t work, we’ll reconfigure and try again.”

She held her free hand up, eyes starting to burn with frustrated tears. “I’m good. Just once more, okay?”

Jane’s forehead furrowed with worry, but she gave Darcy an encouraging nod anyway. “Alright.

Moving so that her cuff was closer to the top of the bridge, Darcy once more closed her eyes and thought as hard as she could of finding Loki. She pictured him in her mind, concentrating on each detail of his face and frame. All of a sudden there was a shift in the way things felt. It was as if a wall in front of her was being jerked backwards and she was following it. She wanted to tell Jane, but was afraid to do anything that might screw up what was happening. 

The reach of her cuff pushed out further, gaining speed as it went. When it stopped, it did so with an abruptness that almost made Darcy stumble. She could actually _feel_ the two bracelets connect, and then, very faintly, there was a tug back.

“Oh my God,” she gasped. Then she sent, _Mischief? Is that you? Please say that’s you._

His answer didn’t come in words, but her cuff burned with answering heat, and for a just a moment it was like he was standing right there with her. She could even smell leather in the air. Something was wrong, though. It was as if he’d put up some sort of barrier preventing her from knowing what he was feeling. She pushed at it, but it held firm. Loki was shielding himself. Why? Why was he hiding from her?

She pushed a second time, and got a sense of apology when he pushed back. It was the apology that made her realize she was wrong. He wasn't shielding himself, he was shielding _her_. Wherever he was, whatever was going on, he was protecting her from it. 

_You can’t talk, can you?_

There was a small, non-verbal response from the cuff.

 _Got it. Just listen then, Mischief, because I'm about to tell you some important stuff. One, I love you, and two, I’m going to figure out how to get you home. Okay?_ Moisture trickled from her eyes and down her cheeks. _God, I miss you. I knew you were still alive. I never gave up on you. Not for a second._

There it was again, the flare of warmth around her wrist and the sensation of his being all around her. It stayed for a few precious moments and then faded away as the connection was cut off from his end.

“Darce?” Jane asked, voice full of concern. The bridge whirred to a stop. “You found him, didn’t you?”

Darcy couldn’t speak. She just nodded her head yes, and took off the safety goggles so she could wipe her eyes. 

“Is he…” Her friend trailed off.

“He’s alive,” she whispered. 

Jane studied her face for a moment and then said, “Something’s wrong, though.”

Before Darcy could answer, Tony smacked the table with his hand. “I’ve got it!” He turned the monitor so they could both see it. 

“Are you serious???” Darcy practically knocked Jane over in her rush to get to the screen. “What are all those dots?” 

“That, Deidre, is space. You know space, endless, open, full of various stars and planets?”

“Yeah, asshat. I’m familiar,” she replied impatiently. “Can you maybe be a little more specific with _where_ in space?”

“You want specific? Watch this. JARVIS? Could you zoom in on the transmitting location of the other cuff?”

“With pleasure, Sir,” JARVIS responded. 

The scene on the monitor whooshed towards them, growing larger. Jane frowned at the array of stars.

“Where is this? These constellations are like nothing I’ve seen.” She leaned forward, tapping the screen.

“The star systems are located within a separate dimension from ours,” JARVIS’ polite voice informed her.

“So is Asgard,” Darcy said. “Can we use Jane’s bridge to get there?”

“Forgive me, Miss Lewis, but no. I’m afraid this particular dimension is far further afield. You would need a considerably larger power source than Dr. Foster’s Einstein-Rosen Bridge currently holds to open up a stable portal.”

“Okay. Where are we going to get that?” she asked. “Is there some kind of ScientistsRus where you can order it?”

“Not a legal one,” Tony replied, leaning back in his chair, “but there is S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Fury’s never going to let us upgrade the bridge without an explanation,” Jane told him. 

“True.” Tony seemed unperturbed.

“And he’s not going to think rescuing my boyfriend from another dimension is a good enough reason,” Darcy added.

“Also true. That’s why I suggest we invent another reason. All in favor?” Stark raised his hand.

“Sir, might I suggest that you include Dr. Selvig in this? I have read his research on the Tesseract stone, and it appears that it may prove beneficial as a power source,” JARVIS said.

“You think we should bring Erik in on this?” Darcy rubbed her hand over her face. “Seriously? This team is turning into the Goonies.” 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Answer me this, Darlene, who just figured out how to use your cuff to find Loki?”

“We did.”

“And do we, or do we not have his exact location?”

She started to smile. “We do.”

“Well then, I suggest you rethink your position on the Goonies,” Tony said. "Is anyone else suddenly craving a Baby Ruth, or is that just me?” 

“Just you,” Jane replied, barely looking up from what she was scribbling in her notebook.

He made a face. “You know, Weird Science, if we are the Goonies, you're Stef.”

"You're wasting your time. She's not going to get that," Darcy said. "Besides, she's actually more of a Mikey."

"I'm Mikey," Tony disagreed.

"No, you're Mouth...or possibly Data. If like, Data and Mouth had a baby, you would be it."

For a second he looked like he was going to argue with her, but then said, "That's actually more or less accurate. Okay. So, Dr. Selvig. What's our plan?"

"Let me talk to Erik. I think I can get him on board," Jane replied.

"Yeah? So there we go. Jane handles Selvig, I handle uploading the Tesseract files, and Devon here is going to handle the jewelry."

Darcy looked at the three of them, standing in Jane's lab, discussing stealing S.H.I.E.L.D. tech in an effort to save Loki. It had to be the biggest longshot in the history of longshots. They were totally going to do it, though. They had to. Now that she had proof he was still alive out there, failure wasn't an option.

"We're all in, aren't we?" she asked them. "If this doesn't work..."

"It's going to work," Tony assured her. "I'm already too invested in seeing Nicky's face when he finds out what we did."

Jane stood up and set her notebook down on the table. "We're bringing him home, Darce. There's no question there. Project Retrieve Loki is a go."

"I love you guys right now," she said.

"Aaand that's all the sentiment I can take for one day. If you need me, I'll be de-crypting Fury's grocery lists." Stark swiveled around in his chair, picked up his takout box again, and started the upload.

Darcy grabbed her purse and headed towards the door.

"Coffee run?" Jane asked.

"Yep. I figure we're all going to need it."

"Don't forget the doughnut." Her friend grinned. "We're not taking any chances."


	49. Only in Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nope. I'm not giving anything away this time. Maybe don't read it at work though...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be my favorite chapter of the whole story. I hope you like it too. 
> 
> xox
> 
> Left
> 
> PS. It's nsfw.
> 
> ************************************************************************************

Erik was in. Darcy wasn’t sure what Jane had said to convince him, but the astrophysicist came back from S.H.I.E.L.D. with a yes. Meanwhile, Tony had accessed all the records on the Tesseract and uploaded them to his own personal database. He was currently building some sort of thing that would connect it to the Einstein-Rosen Bridge remotely. Jane’s entire lab had been vibrating from the sounds of Black Sabbath and a blowtorch for the past three hours. 

Darcy picked up her phone to check the time. It was well past two am. Stark, it seemed, didn't need sleep to function, but Jane was yawning over her notebook and the words were going blurry on Darcy’s computer monitor.

“Hey, Boss Lady.” She poked Jane with the non-pointy end of her pen. 

“Hmmm?” Jane glanced up. “Did you say something?”

“I think it’s time for all scientists and interns to hit the hay. You look like you’re about to fall off that chair, and I just read the same sentence fifteen times in a row before I realized it.”

“Alright." The other girl stretched her arms out over her head. "You want me to stay at your place?”

Jane had been crashing on her couch periodically since Darcy had gotten back. Sometimes it was because they were in the middle of research, and it was more convenient than driving back to her place, but Darcy suspected most of the time it was her friend’s way of being supportive. 

“Will you be offended if I say no?” Darcy asked hesitantly. “I kind of want some time to myself after what happened today.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. You do what you need to do. I probably wouldn’t be good company anyway. I’m so tired. If you need me, though…”

“I know, I know. You’re just a phone call and a five minute drive away,” Darcy said with a smile.

They started gathering up their things. Jane frowned as she pushed a pile of papers around her end of the table. “Have you seen my…” she began to say.

“Keys?” Darcy finished, picking them up from where Jane had absently tossed them earlier. “What would you do without me?”

“No idea,” she replied, taking the keys. “Thanks.”

Tony shut his blowtorch off, and flipped his mask up. “You guys leaving?”

“Yep. You staying?” Darcy pulled her beanie onto her head before slinging her purse over her shoulder.

“I’ve just got a couple more things to hook up, and then I’m blowing this pop stand. Pepper and I have a hot date later,” he answered.

Jane blinked. “It's after two am, you can't be serious.”

“She doesn’t know about it yet,” Stark said with a shrug.

“Don’t,” Darcy told her when it looked like Jane was going to protest on Pepper’s behalf. “It won’t help, he lives to irk you, and Pepper is probably used to it by now.”

“As usual, Dinky’s right,” Tony said, flipping his mask back down. Then he flipped it up again. “Hey Dinky, if Horns showed up in the middle of the night without calling you first, do you think champagne and strawberries would be enough to smooth things over?”

Darcy sighed. “Okay, first of all, dinky isn’t a name, it’s an adjective. Secondly, we’ve already had the ‘do not call him Horns’ discussion. Thirdly, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to know what I’d do if Loki showed up tonight, but I wouldn’t give a shit if he brought a peace offering or not because, trust me on this, I would be otherwise engaged, and fourthly… Is that even a thing? Fourthly? Anyway, fourthly, we both know that Pepper is going to threaten you with death for waking her up, and then you’ll be roguishly charming and it will all be fine.” She plastered a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn.

“Roguishly charming, huh?” Tony made a sound of approval. “I like it. Alrighty. Get out of here. I’ll see you in the morning.” He pushed the mask back down again, and the blowtorch hissed to life.

“Goodnight Tony,” she replied, making a face behind his back that had Jane snorting with laughter. 

Once she was home, her eyes barely stayed open long enough for her to brush her teeth, shed her clothes, and flop face-first into bed. She was just about asleep when she felt it, a slight pressure and then heat around her wrist. The scent of leather filled the air. Darcy’s sat straight up in bed, all her exhaustion disappearing in seconds, and stared at the cuff.

“Mischief?” she asked out loud.

Words scrolled across her bracelet. _You’re looking in the wrong place, Valkyrie,_

She swallowed hard. “Don’t be a dream. Please don’t. Because if I’m dreaming, when I wake up it’s going to wreck me.”

_Do you dream of me often?_

“Are you kidding me?” Darcy was still refusing to take her eyes off the bracelet. “Only every single time I go to sleep. Are you really here?”

Another rush of warmth went through the cuff. _You will never know if you keep staring at your wrist. Darcy, it is taking a great deal of energy to be with you right now. Would you waste it?_

That was enough. She steeled herself for the potential disappointment of it all being a figment of her imagination, and looked over at the empty side of the bed. 

Except it wasn’t empty. Loki was sitting there, long legs cross in front of him, watching her with lips curved up in a small smile.

Darcy closed her eyes and opened them again. He was still there. Her breath started to come faster, and she had to press her fingertips to the bridge of her nose for a second just to keep her equilibrium. 

“You’re real,” she finally said in a soft voice. 

His smile widened in greeting. _Relatively speaking._

Quickly reading the words on her cuff, she looked back up at him. “It’s an illusion. You’re projecting yourself here. Am I right?”

Loki nodded.

“Can I touch you?” Darcy reached out, letting her fingers graze his arm. The spot under her hand trembled into a haze of green magic, but she could feel...something. He wasn’t corporeal, but he wasn’t just a standard illusion either. She carefully lifted her hand to his cheek, and a tingling sensation spread across her palm as he leaned his face into her touch. Loki’s eyes slid closed, shoulders lifting in a sigh she couldn’t hear.

“How?” she asked, moving her fingers up to his temple where she could almost, almost feel the feather softness of his hair as it fell forward over them. 

His bright green gaze shone into hers again, and her cuff lit up with words. _I tried to find you before. Believe me, Darcy, but I couldn’t get through. You broke some sort of barrier today, and I was able to follow you back._

“You hung up on me.” Darcy was fighting to keep her traitorous emotions in check. She didn’t know how long she’d have him, and she wasn’t going to use it up with crying.

 _I apologize. We had an...issue with the timing. Shall I make up for it?_ He quirked an eyebrow at her.

She laughed. “Did you just offer to virtually rock my world?”

_Is that a no?_

Darcy read his words aloud, shaking her head. “A no? When have I ever said no to you? I’m just questioning the logistics of how this...” A wave of her hand indicated his mostly incorporeal form. “...is going to work with this.” She gestured at herself.

Loki looked her up and down. _I suggest you leave that up to me._

“We need to talk, you know. I mean, I want you. I always want you. And being separated has only made that worse.” She paused a moment, considering her words. “Or possibly better, depending on how you look at it, but Loki, I know that you were blocking me out earlier. What’s going on where you are? What were you keeping me from seeing?”

His face darkened. _Please do not ask me that._

She folded her arms over her chest. “I’m asking. Something is wrong. What is it?”

_Darcy._

“Loki.”

He looked away, and she could see his chest rising and falling in short, tense movements. _I am being tortured._

Her jaw dropped. “What, right now? Right now, while you’re sitting here, someone is _torturing_ you? Tell me what to do. Loki? Give me a way to stop it. How can I help?”

 _You are. I’m not with them. I am with you._ For the first time, she could see the pain lines around his eyes and mouth, and then he smoothed his face out. _You are my escape._

“Are you…” Darcy faltered. “Are you unconscious right now? Like to them. Do they think you're unconscious, and they’re still hurting you?”

Loki didn’t answer, which was answer enough.

“Mischief,” she whispered, forehead crumpling. “What did you do before this?”

 _You have always been my escape, Darcy,_ he responded. _I hide you from them, and that is where I go when it becomes too much._

She didn’t know what to say. Someone was hurting him, and his way of handling it was to come to her. 

Loki leaned closer, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip, and setting it awash in tingles. _Can you blame me? You are the loveliest distraction, Valkyrie._

The whole thing was tearing her apart. There was so much she wanted to say, but it was like all the words were trying to get out at once. Finally she settled for the ones she thought were most important. 

“I miss you. I miss you so much. I miss your hands, and your voice, and the way you look at me when you have no idea what I’m talking about, but are trying to figure it out anyway. I miss waking up and finding you still asleep, and I miss waking up to the feel of your touch because you’re already awake. I miss the ridiculously precise way you choose your words. I miss the face you make when you’re up to something. I even miss the stupid snakes.” She inhaled shakily, and blinked the tears back. “Every part of me misses every part of you.”

A wealth of feelings flowed to her through the cuff, matching the emotion in his gaze. _Lie back, Darcy. Close your eyes for me,_ he said.

“Yeah, but if I do that, I won’t be able to see what you’re saying,” she protested.

 _It is fortunate, then, that what I wish to do doesn’t require speaking._ Loki smirked at her.

“I still don’t understand how you’re going to do this, but okay.” Darcy settled back with her wrist on the pillow next to her head in case he did decide to say anything. “You won’t disappear if close my eyes, right? I’m a little afraid to stop looking at you now.”

He shook his head and stretched his hand out to cover her eyes. The skin his palm covered came alive with the sensation of a touch that wasn't quite a touch, and she let her eyes fall closed. Then the feeling vanished only to reappear again as he stroked along the side of her neck and across her collarbone. When it drifted lower, over the swells of her breasts, her lips parted in a shuddering sigh.

__It must have caught his attention, because there was the barest hint of pressure against her mouth with the same sparkly feeling of magic that was now trailing down her stomach. Returning a kiss when the person kissing you has a habit of dissipating into a green haze on contact was pretty impossible. Darcy decided to relax and let him take the lead. Besides, thinking outside the box was just part of being with Loki. Like she’d said to Odin, he never did the expected and that was one of the things she loved about him._ _

__She found herself being lulled into a trance-like state as his fingers continued their slow sweeping motions over her body. It went on and on until there was nothing but his touch in the quiet darkness, and then…_ _

__“Darcy, open your eyes,” Loki’s voice wafted over her, drawing her to him._ _

At first there was only the blinding brightness of light all around, and then his face came focus above her. She could hear birds, and glanced beyond him to see a brilliant, azure sky.

__“Where are we?” Darcy asked, completely floored. She struggled to sit up, and the scene around her shimmered a little at the edges. “Did you make this?”_ _

__“You did,” he answered. “It is part of your memories. I believe it’s the meadow in Vanaheim where I attempted to teach you to use a sword.”_ _

__She glanced at the tall grasses swaying in the breeze that they were reclining on, and said, “That damn pheasant isn’t here, is he?”_ _

__Loki laughed. “Not unless you dream him into being, no.”_ _

__“Wait. I’m dreaming?” Darcy suddenly felt alarmed. “I went to _sleep_??? I don’t want to go to sleep. I want to be with you. Wake me up!”_ _

__“You do realize I am here, yes? Here, where I can touch you…” He traced a line down her arm with his finger. “...speak with you…” His lips brushed her ear. “...hold you…” He rolled them both so that she was under him, insinuating himself between her legs. “...hear you cry out my name.”_ _

__A tremor of need ran through her whole body. “Promise me this is really happening.”_ _

__His lips curved up in the sweetest smile she’d ever seen. “This is really happening. Somehow, against all odds, you found me, Darcy. In doing so, you showed me how to find you. I am here. The dreamlike state you are in is of my doing, but you created the world around us.” He looked down at her for a moment and his smile turned positively wicked. “I find it very intriguing that your subconscious had no interest in creating clothing for us.”_ _

__“Obviously my subconscious likes to get straight to the point,” she replied. “Remind me to thank it later. Are you sure I made this?”_ _

__“Yes, you did,” Loki’s eyes took in the highly detailed meadow around them, and then he said, “And you call _me_ magic.”_ _

__She reached up, cupping his face in her hands. “I’m coming to get you. Just in case this gets interrupted, I want you to know that. We know where you are now, and we have a plan.”_ _

__His features clouded with worry. “You have no idea how dangerous, and difficult that would be, Darcy.”_ _

__“I don’t care. I’ll rip the whole dimension in half if that’s what it takes,” she replied stubbornly._ _

__“I know you would, Valkyrie, but give me a little time. Allow me to devise a plan with you. Something that will keep you safe. There is no point to any of it if we do not live through it due to recklessness and haste.”_ _

__Her brow creased. “Are you calling me reckless?”_ _

__“You faced down the God of Thunder with nothing but your fury and a Midgardian weapon you weren’t sure would work,” Loki responded._ _

__“I took down the God of Thunder with nothing but my fury and a Midgardian weapon I wasn’t sure would work,” Darcy corrected._ _

__“I remember,” he said, securing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. “You were magnificent, but our enemy this time is no Thor. You cannot stop him with a taser and force of your will. It will take planning, cunning...lies.”_ _

__“I take it you want to handle the cunning and lies part?” she inquired._ _

__“Did you just attempt to cut me out of the planning?” Loki cocked his head at her._ _

__“Really? That’s what you took away from what I said? We’re never, ever embarking on a life of crime.” Darcy poked him in the chest. “We’d pull off the whole heist, and then get arrested in the parking lot because we were arguing over where to stow the cash.”_ _

__He grinned at her. “That is ridiculous. I would simply send it into the ether until we needed it.”_ _

__“Shut up, smartass. It was a valid point and you know it.” She lifted herself up a little to emphasis her words, and subsequent contact between their bodies sent her attention elsewhere. “Um, so I see my subconscious is still anti-clothing.”_ _

__“Mmm,” he responded appreciatively. “I would be lying if I said I did not approve of its choices.”_ _

__“Have I mentioned that I also miss you being inside me? I can’t remember if I said that…”_ _

__“You did not.”_ _

__“...but I really, really miss it.”_ _

__One of Loki’s hands skimmed down her leg, catching it under the knee and drawing it up over his hip. “I miss it as well. How very fortunate for us both that I have the remedy.”_ _

__“Do you?” Darcy shot him a provocative glance. “Let’s see it.”_ _

__“See it? I rather thought you wanted more than that, but far be it from me to deny you.” He acted like he was going to lift himself off of her, and she quickly caged him with her other leg, locking them at the ankles._ _

__“Loki?”_ _

__“Yes?” he asked, dropping back down so the tip of his nose grazed over hers, and she could almost feel his smile on her lips._ _

__“Make. With. The. Sex.” She punctuated each word with a roll of her hips._ _

__His mouth descended on hers, and she could absolutely feel his smile this time as he murmured “As you wish.”_ _

__All it took was a slight change in their alignment, and Darcy had him right where she’d been wanting him for weeks._ _

__“How I have missed this,” he said with a groan, withdrawing and thrusting forward again. “Hearing your voice, knowing your thoughts, having you in my arms.”_ _

__“I know.” She ran her fingertips up his arms and across his shoulders. “Believe me, I know.”_ _

__They lapsed into silence then. All that mattered was the slow rock of their bodies moving together, and the tender caresses of hands and lips. Darcy was so caught up in just being with him again, that she began to lose her hold on the scene around them. It wavered and rippled like water, but neither of them noticed._ _

__Each press of skin against skin, each shift of their bodies together echoed inside them with a growing force until they were both gasping with every thrust. Then Loki lifted her hips in his hands, canting them so he could take her deeper, and her body was trembling on the edge of release in seconds._ _

__“Come back down here. Please.” she begged. “I want you here when…”_ _

__He let go, stretching out over her with a growl. “Anything. Anything you want, Darcy.”_ _

__She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling his face down to hers. “You first. I want to feel it.”_ _

__Loki’s jaw clenched, his gaze burning with green fire, and strokes becoming erratic. Moments later he came, dropping his head and muffling his groans against the curve of her neck. She held off until he lifted his head, eyes meeting hers again, and then let go. The waves of pleasure broke free, lifting and consuming her until she felt like she was flying. Afterwards she lay there, limp and sated, with him supporting his weight on his elbows above her._ _

__“Dream sex is amazing. I seriously picked the right Norse god, didn’t I?” Darcy said breathlessly._ _

__“Are you intimating that you had a choice in the matter? I chose you, mortal. Out of every possible maiden…”_ _

__“Maiden,” she scoffed._ _

__His smiled wryly, settled his palm over her mouth, and continued. “Out of every possible maiden, the God of Mischief decided to honor this one rather saucy, human girl.”_ _

__She licked his palm and then bit him, making him jerk his hand away. “Whatever. I know the truth.”_ _

__He rolled off of her and settled himself in the grass by her side, tugging on her hip until she was tucked against his shoulder. Darcy splayed one hand out on his chest with a happy sigh. She tried to forget that he was still lost in another dimension, anchoring herself in the moment instead. It didn’t last. With a sound like he was being stabbed, Loki flinched._ _

__Darcy pulled away in alarm, eyes going wide as the vision of Loki changed. His skin, which had appeared slightly flushed from exertion, took on a sickly pallor. Dark shadows bloomed beneath his eyes. Then, and this was much worse, she could see the marks of deep bruising and cuts all over his body. It only lasted for a split second, but it was long enough to make her feel sick._ _

__“Was that what you really look like right now?” she asked, already sure she knew the answer._ _

__“Forgive me,” Loki apologized, sitting up. “I had no intention of letting you see that. The illusion is becoming too difficult to maintain. I won't be able to hold it for much longer.”_ _

__Her heart dropped into her stomach. So soon? It took every single ounce of her willpower not to lose it in front of him. “I understand. Am I going to wake up now?”_ _

__“You are.”_ _

__“Will you be there?”_ _

__“I do not have the strength for it. I am sorry, Darcy. If I could stay the night, even as an illusion, I would.” Loki looked like this was as hard for him as it was for her._ _

__“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I just really don’t want you to go.” The tears she’d been fending off earlier came back with a vengeance, and she turned her face away so he didn't have to see them._ _

__He turned it back to his with gentle fingers. “Would it help if could give you something tangible to prove that I was here?”_ _

__She nodded, unable to trust her voice to stay steady. Releasing her chin, he took her wrist in his hands, lifting it until it was in front of her face. Then Loki closed his hands around her cuff for a moment, enveloping it in a emerald glow. When he opened his hands Darcy could see the winding body of an ornate serpent permanently etched into the gold._ _

__Darcy turned her hand over so she could see the whole thing. “This will be on my cuff when I wake up?”_ _

“You did say you missed the snakes,” he said. “Now you will always have one.” He was starting to become transparent, and his voice was growing quieter by the second. 

__“I love him. I love you. Please hang on until I can save you, Loki. Even if it means you have to conserve your strength and not come to me again, just hang on. Promise me," she begged urgently, but it was too late._ _

__Loki’s answer was lost in a smoky haze as he disappeared. With him gone, everything started fade, the scenery flickering in an out of view. The world around her finally collapsed, turning back into the four walls of her bedroom again. Darcy knew she had milliseconds before she completely fell apart. She used them to check her cuff. There it was. Her proof that Loki had really visited her wound around her wrist, glittering eyes appearing to gaze slyly up at her. It was so very him._ _

Then she noticed something written very faintly under the curving belly of the snake. She switched her light on so she could see it better. There were just two words, the answer she couldn’t hear.

_I promise._


	50. Operation Retrieve Rudolph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think this is what you've all been waiting for, right? :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm never going to get Tony out of my head again after this chapter, so I hope everyone likes it.  
> On a happy note: 
> 
>  
> 
> I'm just gonna leave that there. You can draw your own conclusions.
> 
> **********************************************************************

Weeks passed, then months. Tony was able to successfully complete the remote connection between Jane’s bridge and the Tesseract with Erik’s help. The real problem was Loki. He kept putting them off.

Darcy was about out of patience. They’d had that one, incredible hour together, and since then it had only been fleeting visits. Most times she didn’t even see him. It was more of a sense of Loki. A light touch on her skin, or a faint message on her cuff. One time he showed up in her bathroom mirror as she was wiping the condensation from her shower away, and she nearly went over backwards into the bathtub from the shock.

To all intents and purposes, she was living with a ghost. A really sexy, mischievous, poltergeist that she was stupid in love with. It was better than nothing, but she wanted _him_ back, not just shadows and illusions. Hence the impatience. Plus he had taken it upon himself to mark each one of his visits in some way, and Darcy now had largest collection of green household items in the entirety of New Mexico.

She sighed as she picked up her emerald hued phone. The time he’d shown up in the mirror she made him stick around until she could take a picture, and it was set as her wallpaper. Loki looked...older. His hair, which had always just grazed his collar, was now down to his shoulders. It made her wonder how much he wasn’t telling her, because she knew for a fact that he maintained it with magic. If he was letting his hair grow, that meant he didn’t want to waste his energy on fixing it, and he also wasn't wasting his energy hiding that fact from her. Either that, or he didn’t have enough magic to maintain an illusion that concealed his true state. Regardless, it was worrying. 

“When can we get this show on the road, Mischief?” Darcy muttered, shoving the phone into her back pocket.

The cuff around her wrist tingled, and she looked down only to read, _Do you speak to me often when I’m not here?_

The tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickled, a sure sign that her personal poltergeist had just made an appearance. “Are you right behind me?”

 _Why do you always ask instead of just turning around?_ Loki replied, amusement flowing through the cuff with his words.

“Why don’t you just show up in front of me?” Darcy retorted, spinning around to face him. He was standing there, but she could see right through him, and the apparition was riddled with what looked like static. “Hi. God, if you only knew how badly I want to tackle you. It’s hard when you’re here but you aren’t. You know?”

The transparent image of Loki shimmered as he took a step towards her. _Soon. Can you coordinate with your friends to have the portal ready in four hours time?_

“Really?” Darcy’s mouth went dry. “I’ll really have you back in four hours?”

_As long as all goes well, yes. Of course there is always a chance that we’ll be discovered and this will all end in the destruction of Midgard with us included._

“Thank you for that cheerful reminder. Seriously. Have I pointed out how cynical you’ve gotten lately? You’re almost as bad as Tony.”

He looked down at the floor for a moment before meeting her eyes. _I’m afraid my time with Thanos has changed me, Darcy. One does not survive what I have been through and come out unscathed._

She immediately felt like a complete jerk. “Don’t. It’s okay. I’m being an ass. I never should have brought it up. It’s just that I’m so used to teasing you, and… Look, let’s just get you here, and then whatever you need, however I can help, I’m going to do it. If that means we need to get to know each other all over again, so be it. I’m not going anywhere, Loki.”

_You may want to when you find out what I have done. The sort of bargains I have made._

“Not possible,” Dary replied firmly. “Besides, we’ll figure out how to unmake them.”

Loki nodded. _Four hours, then. Can you be ready?_

“We’ve been ready for months. _You’re_ the one who’s been holding things up, but yeah, I’ll make sure everything is a go.” She took a deep breath. “Are you going to be ready for me? Because I’ve been working hard to keep my emotions in check this whole time just so I could focus on rescuing you. I have a feeling that when you’re really here that’s all going to end super fast.”

 _The woman who has helped to shoulder the burden of my emotions since I discovered my true parentage is asking if I am willing to carry hers?_ He smiled at her, shaking his head ruefully. 

She tried to touch his face, fingers causing the shaky magic holding his form together to dissipate. “I guess when you put it that way…”

_Four hours, Darcy. Four hours, and I am all yours._

For a moment Loki dropped the mask of composure he’d been wearing, and Darcy was able to see the raw, desperate need in his eyes. There was an answering throb deep inside her that made her shiver.

“We’re not gonna make it out of the lab, are we? I sort of feel bad for the team right now. Or, at least Jane and Erik. Tony will probably enjoy it.”

 _We may destroy Midgard ourselves,_ was his dry response.

More static buzzed through his form, and he shook his head at her apologetically. 

“I’m losing you, aren’t I?” she asked with a sigh. Her bracelet warmed the tiny bit, but it wasn’t enough for words. “Don’t worry, Mischief. I got this for both of us. I love you. I miss you. I’ll see you in four hours.”

His answer smile was the last thing she saw before he faded away completely.

*************************************************************

Three hours and forty-five minutes later, Darcy was pacing around Jane’s lab like a tiger in a too-small cage. The devices were on, everything was linked, all Tony needed to do was throw the switch to draw the power from the Tesseract. That was the tricky part. They had to wait for the last possible second, because there was no way to prevent Fury from knowing once they made the connection.

“Darce? Darcy? DARCY!”

“What?” she asked, stopping abruptly to answer Jane.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past minute. Are you okay?” Her friend was standing next to the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, staring at her in concern.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I’m just… Actually, that’s bullshit. I’m totally freaked out. What if this doesn’t work?”

“Don’t worry, Dora, I’ve got the whole thing under control,” Tony assured her with his eyes locked on the computer monitor in front of him. “In exactly two minutes I’m going to open the lines between us and the shiny blue cube of ultimate power. Once that happens, Weird Science will push her little red button, and Horns can make his grand re-entry in New Mexico. I don’t want to jinx it by saying its a sure thing...but its a sure thing. Have a doughnut” He tossed her a Bavarian cream.

“Thanks.” Darcy held it for a moment, and then set it down on the table behind her. There was no way she was putting it in her roiling stomach. She didn’t want her vomiting on his boots to be Loki’s first memory of being back. “Okay, so two minutes. Two minutes. Twooooo minutes.”

“Actually it’s one now,” he replied, rapidly typing away on the keyboard.

Her nerves jangled more with every single keystroke. Jane came over and began to rub her arm comfortingly. 

“We’re going to get him, Darce. I’ve got the coordinates of his cuff locked in. Watch.” She held up a StarkPad in her hand, displaying a grey field with a bright white dot moving around in it.

“Is that him?” Darcy asked, gripping the pad, and fixating on the tiny dot. 

Jane nodded. “That’s him.”

She touched the dot with her finger, tears prickling behind her eyelids. “Oh my God. Hey you. We’ve got you,” she murmured to the dot. 

“Is she talking to a pixel?” Tony asked.

“Shhh,” Jane hushed him. “She's in love with that pixel, give her a break.”

He shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat. I’m not gonna judge. My best friend is a sarcastic AI with a British accent. Twenty seconds. Ten. Five. Aaaaaand, contact.” His finger pressed the enter button, and they all held their breath, just waiting as the Einstein-Rosen Bridge thundered to life.

The StarkPad started to wobble in Darcy’s shaky hands, and Jane gently retrieved it. “Breathe, Darcy. Everything is working. We’re going to have him here in just a couple seconds”

“Um, not to contradict you,” Tony cut in. “But we might have a problem with that.”

“What??? Why?” Darcy demanded.

Jane hurried over to look at his monitor. “No,” she whispered. “That can’t be right. Can you run a diagnostic calibration?”

“No time,” Stark replied. “Hey, Dani? Don’t panic, but we’ve got a little change of plans here.”

“Change of plans?” Darcy leaned around them, trying desperately to make sense of the scrolling information on the screen. “What change of plans?”

Tony was already halfway across the room, pulling open the cabinet where he stored his spare suit. “I need to suit up. We’re going on a little trip to S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“We? Could someone please explain what’s happening right now? Because I’m about to lose my shit here.” 

She looked frantically at Jane’s Bifrost, which contained zero Gods of Mischief. It clearly wasn’t working. Panicking actually seemed like the best option at this point, but Tony was calmly suiting up, and Jane was focused on the StarkPad.

“Okay,” Jane said to Tony without looking up. “He’s in transit, but you’re right about the arrival location. Can you get her there in time?”

“Can I get her there in time? Does Coulson have a crush on the Capsicle?” Tony replied, locking his mask into place.

Jane stared at him blankly. “The what? What are you talking about?”

“Nevermind. Yes. I can get her there in time. It’s just one of the perks of having a rocket powered suit. She’ll need to wear a helmet.”

“COULD SOMEONE JUST PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS GOING ON!” Darcy screamed at the top of her lungs. “Why isn’t Loki here???”

“We made an error, Darcy,” Jane said, glancing nervously at Tony. “Loki isn't coming through here. He’s coming through at the Tesseract site.”

“I’m sorry. Are you telling me that Loki is going to arrive unannounced in the room with the most highly guarded alien tech in the S.H.I.E.L.D. arsenal?” she asked in horror.

“Yes,” Stark told her, “but I’m sure Erik is aware of that by now.”

“Erik…?” The room tilted on its axis, and Darcy grabbed for the nearest chair. “How’s Erik going to protect him?”

“He’s not,” Tony said in a mechanical sounding voice. “I am. We should probably go.” He moved towards the door with a series of noisy metallic clicks and hisses. When she didn’t budge, he turned back around and said, “That ‘we’ includes you, Dina. Let’s go. Otherwise Fury might make mythical swiss cheese out of your Norse God boyfriend before we can explain why he’s there.”

That got her moving. Jane met her at the door, handing over one of the spare bike helmets that they sometimes used during volatile experiments. 

“I’m sure how safe this is, but it’s better than nothing,” she said, biting her lip. “Don’t worry. I’ll be monitoring everything from here, and pulling for you, okay?”

“Okay,” Darcy replied numbly, yanking on the helmet. Jane gave her a brief squeeze, and whirled back around to the man the computer.

Tony opened his arms, waiting for her. 

“Why is everything always so much more complicated than you think it’s going to be?” she asked him.

“I don’t know, kid,” he answered, folding her into an awkward, metal embrace. “I don’t know.”

The trip to S.H.I.E.L.D. by rocket-powered suit was by far the most terrifying mode of travel ever. Darcy actually found herself remembering the journey via Dark Matter with Odin fondly. They landed in front of the cargo bay doors that made up the entrance.  
“Mr. Stark, Sir. I don’t have you on the list today,” the head guard barked.

“Yeah, about that, we’ve got a little situation on our hands. So I’m gonna have to go ahead and ask you to add us to the list.” 

There was a whirring noise behind Darcy’s head, and she realized he was arming his weapons. 

“Are you insane?” she hissed at him.

“Probably, the jury’s still out, though,” he replied. “Right now, I’m just trying to get us inside as expediently as possible. I can’t get Fury to answer his phone. This will definitely get his attention.”

“Stark!” the Director’s voice crackled through the comm box on the wall. “Do you want to explain just what the hell you think you’re doing?”

“Oh you know. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d hold your guards at gunpoint for fun.”

“I’m going to give you three seconds to clear off before I stop being cordial and let my agents take you down.”

“Whatsa matter, Nicky? Someone piss in your Cheerios, or could it possibly be the little situation you’ve got going on in the basement right now?” Stark replied nonchalantly.

“And just what do you know about my ‘situation in the basement’?” Fury's tone was downright dangerous.

Tony flipped his mask up unconcernedly. “Oh nothing really. Just that the little blue space-cube that’s lain dormant for the past nine months has suddenly blazed to life, and possibly opened up a portal to another dimension. Feel free to stop me if this isn’t ringing a bell.”

“How the _fuck_ do you know about that?”

“Look, we’re wasting time here. Are you going to let me in, or do I have to open fire? I’m not sure if these walls are missile-proof, but I’m willing to find out.”

There was a brief period of silence, a deep, resigned sigh, and then, “Let them in.”

The doors swung open, allowing Tony and Darcy to enter. Every door swung open, in fact. Fury had apparently decided that getting to the bottom of how they knew what was going on meant having them down in the room with the Tesseract. Not that he was taking any chances. They were currently being escorted by a fairly large contingent of armed agents and guards. 

Tony touched the side of his helmet. “Hey, Weird Science, what’s our ETA on Operation Retrieve Rudolph?”

“We agreed not to call it that,” Darcy sighed, pulling her bike helmet off as he blatantly ignored her. 

“Uhuh. Right. Yep. We’re on our way.” He touched the same spot on the helmet, and turned to Darcy. “We’ve got less than a minute.”

She looked up at him frantically. “We’ll never get there at this rate.”

“No we won’t.”

“Okay, so what do we do?”

He glanced at her, pursed his lips, and said, “We run. This feels like déjà vu doesn’t it? Us running for our lives? At least these guys aren’t twelve feet tall.”

“And they can’t kill us with frostbite,” she added. 

“It’s a definite step up, right? I really hated the frostbite.”

“Me too.”

“Hey can Loki do that? Sub-question, do Loki and you do that? And when I say do that, what I mean is...”

“Thin ice, Tony. Thin ice,” she interjected.

“Was that a pun?” he asked, smiling widely at her. “Are you making a Frost Giant pun while we’re in the middle of a life or death situation? I don’t think I’ve ever been so impressed. Good for you, Dolly.”

“Yes, it’s totally a pun, and it’s also still Darcy.”

“Yeah, yeah. Semantics. So, about that running…you in?”

“Yep.” 

“Okay. Not to be pushy, but how’s now for that?”

“Now’s good.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

They both took off at the same time, pursued by a host of shouting S.H.I.E.L.D. employees. 

“Hey, Nicky,” Tony shouted into his helmet. “We had to ditch your charming little welcoming committee. I’d appreciate it if you told them to hold their fire. Also, fair warning, you’ve got incoming. I’d love to elaborate on that, but I don’t really have the time right now.”

They raced down the corridor, Tony’s hydraulics wheezed and clicked furiously with every step. 

“You sound like Tik-Tok from Ozma of Oz,” Darcy panted, cutting her eyes over at him for a second.

“Oh yeah? Well, you look like two cantaloupes doing the electric slide in a sweater,” he shot back. “Also, go left.”

“If you weren’t being so helpful, I’d let Loki dismember you for that,” she responded, turning down the hallway he'd indicated.

“Gotta take your chances when you can. Besides, I like to live dangerously.” He grinned at her, then jerked his head at the row of doors lining the wall. “JARVIS says it’s the third door on the right.”

They sprinted through the doorway, coming to an abrupt halt as a burst of energy erupted from the Tesseract and coalesced into a portal on a platform halfway across the room. The oval energy field swirled ominously for a moment, and then flashed brilliant blue, before exploding in a haze of smoke and sparks. Everyone took a step back, arms thrown up to protect their eyes. 

Darcy was the first to recover, eagerly searching for Loki in the wisps of mist and energy still remaining. As more of it cleared she could see him, kneeling with his head bowed on the platform. All around the room agents lifted their weapons defensively. 

“Hold your fire,” Tony ordered, hand in the air to stop them. “Nicky, tell them to hold their fire.”

“You heard the man,” Fury commanded. “Hold your fire until I notify otherwise.” He glared at Tony. “I’d better not regret that order, Stark.”

Loki was slowly rising to his feet. He looked around the room, expression registering confusion at being in the wrong location. Darcy could see his gaze roving over every face, trying to find her. 

Before she could say anything, Fury shouted, “Sir? I’m going to have to ask you to put down the spear. Now.”

Loki’s head swiveled towards the sound, and it was then that Darcy noticed the weird, gleaming scepter thing he was holding in his hand. He lifted it to his face, staring almost as if he was unaware that he’d been holding it until Fury pointed it out. 

She noticed other things as well. Like the fact that his complexion was so pallid it was scary. His face was covered with a thin sheen of sweat, and the skin around his eyes looked bruised and feverish. His eyes themselves were all wrong as well. Instead of the beautiful shade of green she knew and loved, they were the same strange glowing blue as the stone in the scepter. His hair was tangled, and hung lank all around his face. He looked terrible, and he looked like the best thing she’d ever seen all at once. Suddenly the only thing in her whole world that mattered was getting to him as soon as possible.

“Mischief?” Darcy pushed her way out in front of the agents so he could see her.

Loki’s whole posture changed, shoulders relaxing as he exhaled in relief. “Darcy.” He began striding towards her. The scepter in his hand hit the ground with a resounding clang as he dropped it without a backwards glance. 

She let out a little broken cry, and started to run. Once she was close enough she leaped at him, her body hitting his with enough force to make him take a step backwards. 

“My little Valkyrie,” he said softly, burying his face in her hair. 

“Your eyes were blue when you came though. Is that bad? I’m a little worried about it. Also, please kiss me. I don’t think I can wait anymore.” The arms around her tightened, and Darcy whispered, “I’m probably going to sob through the whole thing, so I apologize in advance for that.”

“Are my eyes still blue?” Loki asked, drawing back so she could see his face.

“No. Green.” 

“Good,” he said, and then his lips were on hers, and his tongue was in her mouth, and Darcy decided that the way it felt almost made up for the months of separation.

Almost. She was still lost in the sensation of being back in Loki’s arms at last, when she heard Tony pipe up from the far side of the room.

“In case anyone was wondering, I’m not crying, there’s leftover Tesseract pollution in my eyes. And if you ever tell anyone about how I wasn’t crying, I will personally have JARVIS hack into any and all mobile devices you own for the rest of your life and change your wallpaper to Nick Cage and your ringtone to the Macarena,” he threatened.

“Stark, do you want to explain to me just what’s going on here, and how exactly you and Miss Lewis factor into it?” Fury demanded.

“Yeeeah, no. Not right now, Nick. I think we need to give them a minute. Can we clear the room people? Nothing to see here. Everyone out.” Tony began waving his arms at everyone, trying to herd them towards the door.

“May I remind you that this is my team, not yours,” Fury said. “I’ll say when they leave the room.”

“Hmm, well, I see your point, Nick, but _that_...” There was a brief pause where Darcy thought he must be pointing at them. “...is about to get an NC-17 rating. I can feel it. Trust me, I’m an expert in that kind of thing.”

Loki had started walking with her still wrapped around him. She had no idea how he seemed so sure of his surroundings, since he wasn’t really watching where he was going on anything, but Darcy wasn’t about to argue. Especially when she felt a wall at her back, and he ground into her in a way that made her synapses go haywire.

“Do you mind an audience?” he inquired, lips moving across her jaw. “I have no objections, but if you do…”

“No. Fuck them,” she replied, trying to get her hand under the asymmetrical tunic thing he was wearing.

His eyebrow quirked up in question. “Fuck _them_? Are you sure?”

“Cute, smartass.” Darcy leaned in and said very quietly, “I’m wearing a skirt and no underwear. You do the math.”

She was answered with a growl, and his hand sliding up under her skirt. “I love you, mortal.”

“I love… Oh! Oh my _God_. I love you too.”

Darcy writhed in his arms, her plans for getting under the tunic forgotten.

“Did I call it or what?” Stark said. “So, about getting your team out of here. I promise to explain exactly what’s going on if we take this to the nearest conference room and leave them in peace. Dr. Selvig can help me with that.”

“Hold on. Let me just understand something here. Selvig _knew_ about all this?”

“I um… Well, yes. I did,” Erik answered.

“Right. I want everyone who was aware of whatever just happened here in my office, with an explanation as to why I shouldn’t have you all imprisoned for appropriating S.H.I.E.L.D. property, in ten minutes.” 

Darcy could hear footsteps heading for the door. Then they stopped.

“That includes you two,” Fury said grimly.

“Well, fuck,” she said to Loki. “How much time will we save if teleport upstairs?”

He looked at her flushed cheeks, and disheveled clothes. “Enough.”

“Wanna finish this on his desk?” 

A slow smile spread across his face. He set her down on the ground, scepter shimmering into being in his outstretched hand. 

Darcy grinned back. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

They were already upstairs, destroying Nick’s desk, before anyone realized they were gone.


	51. Mark Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the end isn't really the end. It's just the calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!!! This is officially the last chapter of Captivated. I just want to thank you all so much for your kudos, and your reviews, and for reading this story. You have no idea how amazing it is for me to see people enjoying it, and reading the things you have all had to say. I love this fandom. Love it, and all of you are what makes it great. 
> 
> Now. To answer the biggest question I've been getting lately: yes, this story is far from over. There's a storyline in the works to take this through the Avengers, and then TtDW. I'm not sure if that will be right away, or if I'll take a little break and work on one of the plot bunnies I've been keeping on the back burner first. I might even do more than one at the same time, but that would mean slower updates, so I really have to consider it and see what would work best. One of the stories I want to do is a Soulmate AU, and the other is a Gothic-ish modern fairytale with Darcy as a reincarnated Sigyn which would have some of Loki's kids in it. I also got a great prompt from Licie about a Labyrinth AU with Loki as the Goblin King. I'm not sure which one I want to tackle first. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you again. Seriously. If I could hug every single one of you, I would. The Tasertricks readers are the best readers in any fandom, period. You guys rock. 
> 
> XOX
> 
> Lefty
> 
> ********************************************************

“I thought of this so often when we were apart. I longed for you the entire time.”

“I know. That’s the third time you’ve told me in as many minutes. It’s because I’m totally awesome in bed.”

Darcy leaned down, capturing his mouth with her own. Her body undulated above Loki’s, hips held tightly in his hands.

“Not just this,” he corrected, thrusting up and making her gasp. “Having you so near I could hear your breathing. Being able to taste your skin. Talking with you. I longed for _you_ , Darcy. Dreams and fantasies were not enough.” His fingers closed on her again in a hard grip. 

“Oh Loki. I know. I really, really know." They both were quiet for a bit after that, and then Darcy asked, "How long until you’re able to heal?” She covered one of the large, welt-like scars that were criss-crossing his chest with her palm.

Loki moved his hand so he could place it over hers, hiding the scar from sight. “I don’t know. They were not made with an ordinary weapon. Are you repelled by them?” His eyes sought out hers, worry etched on his face.

“Like you could ever repel me, Mischief. I’m just thinking of you. Do they hurt?”

“Not as much as they did when they were inflicted.”

His gaze clouded, and she could see him remembering the torture Thanos had meted out on him. It was enough to break her heart. Darcy took both his hands in hers, moving them up to cup her breasts.

“I’m right here, Loki. No one is hurting you. Not anymore.” Her body curved over his again so that her hair cascaded around them like a curtain. “Just me.”

Loki exhaled slowly. His hands began roving over her frame as if he were trying to relearn it by touch. She continued the slow rock of her body in the semi-darkness, letting it anchor him them both as his fingers drifted over her skin. 

This was completely unlike the frantic coupling in Fury's office. Darcy smiled as she thought of it. The desk legs banging the floor, papers and pens spilling over the sides unheeded, and Nick’s favorite mug ending up in about ten pieces under his chair. Suffice to say, he’d been unthrilled when he found them.

Darcy was sorta fired. And by sorta fired, she meant not allowed within five miles of any sort of S.H.I.E.L.D. property for the foreseeable future. Oh well. She hadn’t really liked working for S.H.I.E.L.D. anyway. It was just to get Loki back, and that was taken care of, so whatever. If she never saw Fury and his pirate patch again that was fine with her.

Besides, Loki was back.

He was _back_.

Not only back, but he was in her bed, and his new, asymmetrical tunic thing was hanging off her bookcase like some sort of deflated bat. She was going to ask if she could try it on later. After.

His hands made another lazy circuit of her body. Yeah. Definitely after.

“You seem slighter than I remember,” Loki said, voice coming out as a purr as his lips touched the skin of her neck.

“Eating kind of got put on the back burner a lot while I was trying to rescue my boyfriend from another dimension,” Darcy replied. “Don’t worry, my butt will totally grow back. I promise.”

Her words surprised a laugh out of him, and then a hiss as she lifted nearly all the way off and dropped back down sharply, taking him deeper. 

He slid his hands under her thighs, lifting her on every stroke, and increasing their pace. “Darcy I want… _Gods_. Again.”

“You want what?” she asked, laying both palms flat on his chest and pulling them down to his abdomen in a gentle glide of skin against skin as she obliged his request.

“I want… I need…” Loki’s voice faltered into a groan. “I want to take you, Darcy.”

She dropped down, rubbed the tip of her nose over his, and whispered against his lips, “So do it. Make me forget you were ever gone. I want to feel you every time I move tomorrow. I want to ache from having you back more than I ached when you were away, Mischief. Can you do that?.”

He made a sound, half moan and half growl, and flipped them so quickly it made her smile. Then he drew back and thrust forward, _hard_.

“I’m sorry,” he said, mistaking her answering whimper for one of pain.

“Don’t you dare apologize. More. More like that.”

Loki braced one hand on the headboard. “Like this?” He began to move in measured, forceful thrusts. She squeaked, and his lips curled up into a smug little half-smile.

“So cocky,” Darcy said.

“Am I?” 

His free arm slipped under knee, catching it in the crook of his elbow to change the angle. Within moments she was panting, one hand clutching at the sheets, and the other wrapped tightly around his wrist.

“I didn’t say you hadn’t earned it,” she gasped. “Fuck, Loki….fuck!”

There was a small, satisfied chuckle from his direction, and then little else but the sound of his ragged breaths mingled with hers as he pushed them both closer to release. 

“Can you do something for me?” Darcy asked, amazed that she could get the words out at all.

“Yes. Whatever it is. Yes,” he responded instantly. 

“Mark me.”

He halted in his movements, focusing on her face. “Mark you?”

She nodded. “I want something I can see. Something I can touch. Because I need to believe you’re really back. I don’t care if it hurts. Just...please?”

His already lust-darkened eyes turned nearly black, then changed to crimson as he switched forms. “Ask me again,” Loki demanded.

Darcy reached up, meeting his gaze while her fingers touched his cold lips and the fangs behind them. “I want you to mark me.”

He dropped her leg, surging over her so that she could feel the the tantalizing scrape of his teeth against the spot where her neck met her shoulder. His fingers wrapped around both of her wrists, pulling her arms out to the sides and trapping them there.

“Breathe, Valkyrie,” he drawled, voice somehow gravel and velvet all at once.

The moment he felt her chest rise, Loki bit down. Her lungs promptly compressed, forcing a shaky little moan from her throat. He snarled in reply, teeth coming dangerously close to piercing her flesh as he began to suck on it. The delicious tension that had been building since they’d tumbled into the bed threatened to break free. Darcy felt it the very moment his fangs cut through her skin. Her muscles went taut, back arching like a bow. Loki’s hands clenched around her wrists, fangs sinking deeper in her neck. His body bucked into hers, rough and uncontrolled. 

It did hurt, but it was also everything she wanted. She felt safe, claimed, whole. Loki was no longer lost in a faraway dimension, but there, and real, and filling her completely. He moved one hand under her neck, lifting it so it was bared even further to him, and the tension inside her shook loose in a near violent rush of sensation. Darcy could feel him, each stroke hitting almost painfully deep, as he chased after her into release. 

There was shift between them when he came. Something she couldn’t quite describe, or explain, then a sharp, swift pain as he withdrew his teeth from her throat. Loki rolled over, pulling her completely on top of him, his body still throbbing within hers. 

A small trickle of blood ran down her her collarbone, and Darcy shifted her shoulder, trying to escape the ticklish feeling. He immediately clasped his hand over the bite mark.

“Don’t heal it,” she mumbled. 

Loki wet his lips with his tongue before speaking. “You will scar.”

“Then we’ll match.” Her fingers gently traced one of the lash marks near his clavicle. “I asked you to mark me, and I meant it.”

“Allow me to at least stop the bleeding.” 

“Okay, Mischief, but don’t get sneaky and fix it. I’ll know if you do, and then you’ll just have to bite me all over again.”

A momentary sensation like prickly heat flashed around the mark, and then receded. Loki cocked his head, looking at the bite she couldn’t see. The resultant expression of satisfaction on his face was almost as endearing to her as his quick attempt to hide it.

Darcy smiled at him. “You’re allowed to like it, you know. I can tell you do.”

“It is what you wanted,” he replied.

“Uhuh. I know you, Mischief. Possessiveness is just part of your nature, and it’s even stronger when you’re blue. You think the fang marks are hot. Admit it. Seeing them there is getting you off.”

He managed innocence for exactly three more seconds, and then caved. “Yes. They are. I have wanted to do that for some time. Is that what you wanted to hear, Darcy?”

“Yep. And because I’m so nice, I’m not even going to crow about that. Much.” Her lips twitched smugly.

Loki rumbled in amusement, and pulled her down flush with his chest. Despite enjoying the closeness, she couldn’t help but shiver from the chill of his body. Darcy loved when he went blue, but it wasn’t really conducive to cuddling unless he used a warming spell, and he was still conserving his magic for healing purposes.

He must have noticed. The arm that had been holding her to him disappeared, and moments later Darcy felt a blanket settle over her back and then the weight of his arm again. His skin warmed considerably as he reverted to his Æsir form.

“I am afraid for you,” he said suddenly. “This bargain with Thanos. The things I must do…”

“Loki, stop. Fury knows about the deal. He’s got it under control, and if you use this as an excuse to push me away after being separated for months, I will go dig out my armor and kick your ass.”

“Do you really think I could push you away? I can barely let you out of my sight.” 

She grinned, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. “Yeah I know. Am I ever going to get to pee without you standing guard outside the bathroom door, or is that something I’ll just have to get used to?”

“I do not understand why I cannot come inside,” Loki complained.

“You did come inside,” she said dryly, purposefully misunderstanding him. “In fact, you’re _still_ inside. Which is actually sort of impressive.”

“Mmm. So I am.” He moved against her suggestively.

“Eep! Not ready! So not ready!” 

Darcy’s legs clamped together around him from the overstimulation, and he chuckled. 

“Was trapping me part of your strategy to be rid of me?”

She snorted and held up the wrist with the cuff. “Yes. Totally. Guess who I learned it from?”

There was another rumbling laugh from Loki, and he finally withdrew. “Better?”

“Yes, and no,” she said with a sigh. “Now I kind of miss you. And I’m sticky. Like, very, very sticky which means you are also about to be sticky by association. Want to shower with me?”

He didn’t reply right away, and Darcy guessed he must be weighing the pros and cons of her tiny shower. She really couldn’t fault him for it. He was actually taller than the drencher showerhead she’d installed after moving in, and that made using it complicated for him. The thing was, as much as she’d teased him about not wanting her out of his sight, she was just as bad. Probably worse, if she were being honest with herself.

“Come on, Mischief. I’ll let you use one of my good towels, and you can soap me up,” she coaxed.

Still nothing. Darcy decided to give it one more try before giving up and letting him use magic to get clean.

“Just think of all water washing over my body. Remember that one time you made a waterfall in your bath and I stood in it? All my warm, wet skin, totally naked, just for you?”

“Fine,” he acquiesced. “We will shower.”

“Yeah,” she said triumphantly. “That’s what I thought.”

*********************************************************************************

While they were in the shower, she could really take stock of Loki’s ravaged body. Some of the marks were healing already, but others… Darcy put her arms around his waist and kissed a particularly angry looking circular pucker of skin on his back that looked like it had been made with a hot poker.

He froze, water running down his shoulder-blades in rivulets, and dripping from his wet hair. “I will always carry that one. Branding and Frosts Giants do not go well together.”

“What about me?” she asked, pressing her lips to the highest point she could reach on his spine. “Do I go well with Frost Giants?”

He turned around, giving her a view of the rest of his body. Thanos had left almost nothing untouched. Darcy felt a sudden, murderous rage well up in her. Had he been there right then, she would have beaten him to death with the shower curtain rod without a single twinge of regret.

“You,” Loki said, smile a little strained, “go well with this Frost Giant. I would not like to see you with any other.”

“Because I’m so short?” she teased, hoping to ease the tightness out of his face. 

“No, because you are mine.” His fingers rested briefly on the sore spot where he’d bitten her. “Does it hurt?”

Darcy shrugged, then winced. “A little. I’m tough. You should have seen me after the whole thing on the Bifrost. Bruises everywhere, and this big cut under my ribs. Eir did a thing with magic rocks, so you can barely see the scar.” She swiveled sideways, pointing to the faint silver mark on her skin.

He had gone completely silent. Darcy realized too late that he wasn’t ready to discuss that day, and the fight with his brother. There were things she needed to say, though. Important things. 

“It was my fault. When you called me over to you, I should have gone. I’m the reason you fell.”

“No,” he cut her off. “Thor was the reason I fell. You were nearly killed because of my brother’s arrogance, and pride. I will never forgive him for that.”

“You know that’s not true, right? Loki?” She tried to move into his line of sight, but he stubbornly refused to look at her. “Thor had already realized he was wrong when Ærndís attacked me. He was the one who caught me when the bridge was collapsing. I have a lot of lingering anger with him too, believe me, but he’s broken over what happened. When I left he was grieving almost as much as your mother.”

Loki’s lips folded together into a thin line. “And yet he was willing to accept my death without proof. What of my father? You said he woke up after I fell. Did he grieve as well?”

“Your dad…” she began. “Yeah, okay. He’s a dick. In truth, I blame him for all of it. He’s mourning you, though. In his own way, I guess. It’s hard to figure Odin out. He offered me a permanent home on Asgard, and in the same breath basically insulted everything about me, so whatever.” 

“He offered you a place at court?”

“Yeah. Because of my heroics and all. I told him where he could stuff it.” She didn’t add that Odin had thanked her for saving Thor, not Loki. That was something he never needed to know.

“Why did you refuse?” Loki didn’t look curious so much as he looked...thoughtful? Guarded? She wasn’t sure.

“Because you weren’t there. I couldn’t be there, with everything reminding me of you, and no one believing that you were still alive. It hurt. Worse than anything. I even went down to the hunting lodge once, because I thought…” Darcy stopped for a second, trying to get her emotions under control. “I thought maybe it would help me feel closer to you. I thought if I was there, maybe the cuff would work, but it didn’t. It was just an empty house full of the shadows of what I wanted most. So I went back to the palace. In the end I decided coming back here would be less painful. And Jane was amazing. She accepted my belief that you were alive immediately. Tony too. I know he isn’t your favorite person, but without him I wouldn’t have you back. He was pretty great.”

“I am growing fonder of the Tin Idiot,” Loki admitted. “He was quite helpful in explaining the situation to Nicholas. And Dr. Foster...I owe her a debt of gratitude I am not sure I will ever be able to repay.”

“Me either,” Darcy said. “Jane is like a best friend and a big sister all at once. I can’t even tell you what it felt like to have someone just believe me with zero proof and then start figuring out how to find you. Plus there was Heimdall. Did I tell you about that? He encouraged me to go back to Earth. He said my part in this wasn’t over.”

“I owe him as well, then. When this is over, I will find a way to thank him.”

“About that,” Darcy began cautiously. “Are you sure we can’t let anyone on Asgard know you’re still alive? I know you’re worried about Thanos finding out, but losing you broke your mom’s heart. It seems incredibly cruel to me not to tell her you’re still alive.”

“She has believed me dead these many months. Any contact between myself and Asgard could put the entire realm in danger again. As soon as it is safe, I will go to her. She is my mother, Darcy, and I love her enough that I would see her protected. It would be far less cruel for her to let her remain ignorant for a while longer, than to draw Thanos’ attention to her,” Loki asserted.

“I can’t believe you're in this position again,” she said, shaking her head. “What’s the name of those fates you believe in?”

“The Norns?” he answered.

“Yeah. Them. The minute this is over, I’m hunting them down and beating them senseless.”

“Darcy, the minute this is over, we are retiring to my rooms in the palace, and I am never letting you come back out,” Loki declared.

She poked him playfully. “Yes you will. If only to show my bite marks off to Fandral.”

“Fine. We will show that oaf that you are mine, and then return to my rooms.”

“I think your mom might send a search party if we never come out again.”

“Meddlesome woman,” he replied with a rueful smile.

“Don't you pick on your mother. Frigga’s the best. I bet I’ll be just like her if we ever have…” Darcy caught herself before finishing the sentence. “Hey, have you seen the soap? If we don’t actually make an effort here, we’ll lose the hot water without getting clean first.”

He slipped his fingers under her chin, tipping it up so her blushing cheeks were exposed. “If we ever have what?”

“Pet snakes?” she offered hopefully.

“You are a terrible liar.”

“I’m your terrible liar, though.”

“Mmm, yes you are. A terrible liar who just brought up bearing my children.” Loki bent down and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her until they were face to face.

“I’m not… I didn’t mean…” Darcy waved one hand to emphasis the point she was having trouble making. “It wasn’t a _now_ thing. But you know. There no one else I want to make babies with...so some day. Maybe.”

He hitched her up so that she was a little bit above him, looking down. “I know.”

“Okay.” She sighed with relief. “Hey Loki?”

“Yes, lovely girl?” His emerald eyes were lit up with affection for her, and it almost took her breath away.

“Would you be interested in doing the baby making thing without making the babies? With me, that is. There’s still some hot water left, and I still miss you.”

Loki rocked up, filling her in one solid stroke. “Yes.”

*****************************************************************************************

For a long time afterward, Darcy lay awake in bed while he slept beside her. There was so much they still had left to tackle. She tried to keep a brave face whenever they talked about it, but in truth she was incredibly afraid. If Loki was ripped away from her again… It didn’t bear imagining.

At least they were together. Whatever happened, however bad things got, she was going to be at his side. It was just that she so wished they were already on the other side looking back, instead what felt like the calm before the storm.


End file.
